The Davenport Collection
- a growing resource on magic and entertainment history

A Chinese inside painted glass snuff bottle, with stopper

This is a modern example purchased from The British Museum shop in 2017. It was said to be painted by a Chinese painter. The stopper is probably agate. Both sides of the bottle are shown in the photographs. These objects are often referred to as ‘impossible objects’ because it is hard to understand how such detailed painting can be achieved on the inside of the bottle.

Item Details

Size Height 90mm
Date Circa 2017
Key Phrases ,
Category ,
Ref no N1689 P1163