American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-08-03
The Curiosities of Tobacco.

The passion for rare collections is
curiously exempliied in the instance of
a gentleman residing in Birmingham,
England, who has travelled extensively,
and has for years devoted much time
and money in obtaining from every part
of the world all kinds of tobacco and
preparations of tobacco, pipes of every
nation and tribe, snuff-boxes and bot
ties, and a large library-shelves and
floors piled up with books -containing
all that has been written and published
in favor of or against the use of the
weed, from King James's "Counter-
blast" to Trask's pamphlets, and what
ever else there may be. The variety of
his acquisitions is constantly increasing,
until now his collection is not only of
great intrinsic value, but q wonder and
delight to those possessing taste for rare
and exquisite work and curious designs.
There is scarcely tribe in Africa or
America or solitary island of the ocean
that has not contributed something of
its handiwork to this collection in the
shape of pipes-demonstrat the tenn
poral consolation and refuge of men
some of them of strange, uncouth
shapes and workmanship, and others
giving evidence Of good advance in ar
tistic taste and skill.
Those from China and Japan, how
ever Gncluding opium pipes), with their
profuse and exquisite ornamentation in
gold, silver, and enamel, are the gems
of this part of the collection; while of
every style of earthen pipe. from the
first rude clay to the finest and most
beautifully decorated porcelain, his cab
met contains one or more specimens,
by which is indicated, as well perhaps
as by q collection of old china and por-
celain, the progress of the ceramic art.
But the most beautiful and costly of
his treasures are the superb antique
snuff bottles, numbering several hun
dreds, mostly of Chinese and Japanese
manufacture, and in form generally a
fiattened oval of from Ii to 2 inches
across, and from "a to 81 inches long,
with caps or shoppers having small
spoon attached with which to withdraw
the snuff and apply it to the nostrils.
Those of gold and silver. though in
many instances wrought with all the
fancy and skill imaginable, are of less
intrinsic or artistic value than are many
of the others. Here are some of carved
jadestones, others of carnelian, others
of beautiful agates, and next one of the
larger size fashioned from a single sap
phire; and here are several of the
purest rock crystal, cut and polish
ed as clearly on the inside as on the
outside; but the jewels of the collection
are those of opaque glass, made appa-
rently by the imposition of a layer of
one brilliant color over another-in
some cases there are three or more lay
ers-and ornamented with designs cut
through to the innermost one, after the
manner of cameo cutting.
In most instances these bottles bear
dates and monograms, which enables
one who has thoroughly studied them,
as this gentleman, to trace the progress
of the art through centuries.
1t is impossible in this article to give
moro than an idea of this collection, but
its owner is preparing descriptive and
illustrated catalogue Of it. the drawings
and coloring being done by students of
the Sheffield School of Design, of which
he was founder and President, which
will be in itself work of art and a val
liable addition to any library.-Scien-
hfe american.