Snuff bottle

Museum number:
9-21928a,b
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm210921928a@2cb
Alternate number:
BY.T-72 (previous number) and T-72 (original number)
Description:
This is an animal horn, perhaps of a Tibetan Dzo (a cross between a Yak and lowland cattle) that has been fashioned into an elegant snuff bottle. The snuff is load, in large quantities, into the large end of the horn. It is stopped with a carved hardwood plate covering a soft wood plate to which it is attached by six ivory pegs. The large end of the horn is ornamented by an elaborate silver band set with (glass) jewels. The small end of the horn is carved and banded with a silver mouthpiece that has a small hole to dispense powdered snuff onto the thumb nail of the imbiber.
Collection place:
Tibet
Verbatim coll. place:
Tibet
Collector:
Theos C. Bernard
Materials:
Glass (material), Horn (animal material), Ivory (material), Silver (metal), and Wood (plant material)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Bottles, Carvings (visual works), and Snuff bottles
Production date:
19th-20th century
Department:
Asia (except western Russia)
Images:
Hearst Museum object titled Snuff bottle, accession number 9-21928a,b, described as This is an animal horn, perhaps of a Tibetan Dzo (a cross between a Yak and lowland cattle) that has been fashioned into an elegant snuff bottle. The snuff is load, in large quantities, into the large end of the horn. It is stopped with a carved hardwood plate covering a soft wood plate to which it is attached by six ivory pegs. The large end of the horn is ornamented by an elaborate silver band set with (glass) jewels. The small end of the horn is carved and banded with a silver mouthpiece that has a small hole to dispense powdered snuff onto the thumb nail of the imbiber.

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