This is a Chinese Mongolian faux tortoise shell snuff bottle circa the mid 19th century (1860’s, iykyk). It’s 3.75” tall and is in excellent antique condition. It’s made of Chinese silver inlaid with small coral and turquoise stones. Mongolia was ruled by China from 1644 to 1911. Snuff and snuff bottles were popular with the upper class in Central Asia in the late 17th to 18th century. They were not just objects of beauty but also came to symbolize status and wealth. In Mongolian culture, the lion head is a powerful symbol representing protection, strength, courage and high status. The stopper has a long small spoon end to extract snuff (ground tobacco). Of cultural significance, as a social rite, strangers would meet and extend their snuff bottles to each other to gently sample the others snuff as a gesture of earnest intention and warm greeting.