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Porcelain Opium Pillow
China
circa 1900
height: 6.7cm, width: 14.9cm
Opium pillows such as these were produced in China and exported to overseas Chinese communities around the world. Often they were used in commercial opium dens.
This example has an open-work 'cash' motif design at one end.
The other end has an aperture to permit items to be stored inside – typically the wallet of the smoker. Once the wallet was inside, the open end of the pillow would be
pushed up against the wall while the smoker lay on the floor or smoking platform, resting his head on the pillow. This allowed the wallet to be kept more safely once the
smoker was intoxicated by the opium.
The pillow is decorated with cartouches of fo dogs within panels of plum blossoms.
References: Martin, S., The Art of Opium Antiques, Silkworm Books, 2007.
Inventory no.: 610 SOLD
Porcelain Opium Pillow
China
circa 1900
height: 6.7cm, width: 14.9cm
Opium pillows such as these were produced in China and exported to overseas Chinese communities around the world. Often they were used in commercial opium dens.
This example has an open-work 'cash' motif design at one end.
The other end has an aperture to permit items to be stored inside – typically the wallet of the smoker. Once the wallet was inside, the open end of the pillow would be
pushed up against the wall while the smoker lay on the floor or smoking platform, resting his head on the pillow. This allowed the wallet to be kept more safely once the
smoker was intoxicated by the opium.
The pillow is decorated with cartouches of fo dogs within panels of plum blossoms.
References: Martin, S., The Art of Opium Antiques, Silkworm Books, 2007.
Inventory no.: 610 SOLD
