Taiwan (Formosa)- Maximum Card – Snuff Bottles(4V) 1990

Snuff is made through a process in which tobacco leaves are removed from their stems, crushed into powder, allowed to ferment, and then mixed with aromatic substances. It is said to be effective in treating dizziness, dispelling cold, and clearing the nose. Snuff became very fashionable in Europe in the seventeenth century, and the little boxes in which it was stored were often inlaid with precious jewels and metals and exquisitely crafted. Various western countries presented snuff and snuff boxes to the early Ching court as gifts promoting cordial international ties. The Ching's own Imperial Workshops, improving on the original box shape, began to produce delicate and lovely snuff bottles. These have in turn inspired great enthusiasm among modern collectors.