Searle Collection
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Photo: Museums of the World
The Minneapolis Institute of Art's collection of over 300 Chinese snuff bottles is one of the largest in any American museum, with the majority gifted by Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle in the first half of the twentieth century. The range is exceptional, spanning ivory, cloisonne, crystal, porcelain, hardstone, and glass, with subjects drawn from literature, Buddhism, Confucian thought, and the natural world. The ICSBS held its 51st Annual Convention at Mia in 2019, with an installation of over 100 of the collection's finest bottles on display.
With over 300 bottles spanning the full range of Qing dynasty materials and decorative traditions, Mia's holdings rank among the largest and most varied Chinese snuff bottle collections in any American museum.
Additional resources
From the collection
Gold with pine tree among fields and mountains
China, early 1900s. Snuff bottle. Gold decorated with a pine tree among fields and mountains; matching gold stand. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.40.21a-c.
Paktong with birds among flowering prunus
China, 1800–1900, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Paktong (copper-nickel) decorated with birds among flowering prunus; jadeite stopper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.40.22a-c.
Ivory carved with two women in a garden
China, 1890–1930, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Monochrome ivory carved with two women in a garden, with red stain. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.1.42.
Bean pod with man picking fruit
China, 1800–1900, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Natural bean pod carved with a man picking fruit; ivory and silver mounts. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.1.56a, b.
Inside-painted glass with hawk and rodent
China, 1898, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Glass, inside-painted with a hawk and rodent by Yan Yutian; jadeite stopper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.1.163a, b.
Glass imitating realgar
China, 1800–1900, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Glass imitating realgar; amethyst stopper. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.1.188a-c.
Green overlay glass with squirrel among fruiting vines
China, 18th century, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Caramel glass with green overlay depicting a squirrel among fruiting vines. Gift of Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 33.7.7a-c.
Wood inlaid with scholar and attendant
China, 1850–1925, Qing dynasty. Snuff bottle. Wood inlaid with coral and mother-of-pearl depicting a scholar and attendant. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus L. Searle. © Minneapolis Institute of Art. Accession number: 27.1.54a, b.
The International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society
2 Hamill Road, Suite 353
Baltimore, MD 21210 USA
410-467-9400
