Helen Pritchard Collection
Oakland Museum of California
Photo: OCMA; Cover photo: SF Art Week
The Oakland Museum of California holds one of the largest institutional collections of Chinese snuff bottles in the United States, with over 700 examples, the overwhelming majority gifted by Miss Helen Pritchard in 1970. The collection is widely regarded as an essential resource for collectors and students of the form, recommended by leading figures in the field as among the finest publicly accessible holdings on the West Coast. Spanning the full range of Qing dynasty materials and decorative traditions, the Pritchard gift transformed the Oakland Museum into a significant repository of Chinese decorative art and remains the foundation of its East Asian holdings.
One of the largest single gifts of Chinese snuff bottles to any American institution, the Pritchard Collection placed over 600 examples in public hands, making the Oakland Museum an essential destination for collectors and scholars on the West Coast.
Additional resources
From the collection
White nephrite carved with goldfish, plants, and poem
China, circa 1736–1795, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period. Snuff bottle. White nephrite carved with two goldfish, plants, and a poem; tourmaline stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.706.
Soft-paste porcelain moulded with figures in a boat and on shore
China, 1796–1820, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period. Snuff bottle. Soft-paste porcelain moulded with two figures, one in a boat and one on shore; coral and malachite stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.708.
Smoky quartz carved with man on donkey beneath pine tree
China. Snuff bottle. Smoky quartz carved with a man on a donkey beneath a pine tree; amethyst stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.709.
Jadeite embellished with procession of women and boys
China, 1981. Snuff bottle. Green jadeite embellished with a procession of women and boys; rose quartz stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.731.
Mottled pink glass flask
China, circa 1820–1880, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Mottled pink glass of flask form; green glass stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.733.
Cinnabar lacquer of spade form carved with flowers
China, circa 18th century, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Cinnabar lacquer of spade form carved with flowers; matching stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.732.
Pink and white glass with lotus blossom
China, circa 1700–1880, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Pink and white glass with lotus blossom; amethyst stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S85.18.658.
Glass imitating blue jadeite carved with dragon
China, 19th century, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Blue glass imitating jadeite, carved with a dragon; jadeite stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S79.16.676.
Enamelled glass with two birds in a tree
China, circa 1880, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Green glass of vase form, enamelled with two birds in a tree; pink tourmaline stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S79.16.681.
Enamelled glass with blossoming
China, circa 18th century, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Transparent glass of bulbous form, enamelled with blossoming branches; green jade stopper. Gift of Miss Helen Pritchard. © Oakland Museum of California. Object number: S78.33.526.
The International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society
2 Hamill Road, Suite 353
Baltimore, MD 21210 USA
410-467-9400
