Diamond, Ruby and Gold Inlaid Mughal White Jade Hookah Mouthpiece Snuff Bottle

This fine, white jade Mughal hookah (huqqa) mouthpiece has been set with diamond and rubies, all in gold kundan settings, arrayed as descending flower sprays. The gold used is typically as close to 24-carats as possible. The jade has russet inclusions.

The mouthpiece follows the conventional baluster form of a waisted cylinder with a pear-shaped tip. Examples of hardstone hookah mouthpieces are known. One is in the Kahilili Collection, another is in the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait.

The mouthpiece appears to be among the Mughal jade and rock crystal items that were sent to China, where it has been converted into a snuff bottle, by plugging the wide end, and adding a spatula with a Burmese green jade stopper to the mouth end. Taipei’s National Palace Museum has a large collection of Mughal jade and related items, where they have been catalogued as ‘Hindustan jades’.

It is believed that most of these items were given by the Mughal court to local Islamic rulers in Central Asia and elsewhere and from there, were sent as tribute to the Chinese court during the reign of the Qianlong emperor (r. 1735 to 1796). This lead to a fashion among ruling circles in China for Mughal jades and it is likely that other examples were sent directly from India to China. Some items were augmented in China as this mouthpiece seems to have been with its conversion to a snuff bottle.

Typically, aristocratic Mughal men would carry their own hookah mouthpiece in a pocket. If calling on others, they would use the provided hookah apparatus but would use their own mouthpiece which they would attach to their host’s hookah. Mouthpieces for the wealthy thus became quite elaborate and were almost a form of jewellery suggesting their owner’s wealth and status.

A similar mouthpiece (without the snuff bottle additions) was in the Al Thani Collection and illustrated in Stronge 2015, p.  76). That example is attributed to the 18th century with the workmanship being conducted either in Delhi, Lucknow or Varanasi (Benares). It was sold, with another similar example, by Christie’s New York in the ‘Maharajas and Mughal Magnificence’ sale in 2019 (see lots 69 and 70.)

Possibly, there are some old replacements to the inlay though it is difficult to determine this. But essentially, the item is in excellent condition.

The mouthpiece was sold by Christie’s New York’s Chinese Department in 1995. A  copy of the Christie’s sales receipt will be provided with the mouthpiece.