Antique Chinese Porcelain Snuff Bottle with Rooster

Beautiful Qing Dynasty Chinese snuff bottle, made of porcelain and hand painted. Includes original white jade cap with spoon. It has a miniature painting of a rooster on each side. Rooster is a popular symbol throughout China and one of the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese assign the Rooster as a proverbial mascot to the five virtues - civil responsibility, marital fidelity, courage, kindness, and confidence. Feng shui practitioners paint a red rooster on the house walls for protection from fire, and a white rooster for protection from evil spirits. This snuff bottle was not made for export and therefore is not marked at the bottom. Measurements: Height: 2.5" (6.5 cm). Width: 1.8" (4.5 cm). Chinese snuff bottles were only made in the Qing Dynasty, which began in 1644 and ended in 1911. They were used exclusively for holding powdered tobacco, usually mixed with herbs and spices. The mixture was inhaled through the nose. Snuff bottles originated in the imperial court. For