This spittoon with lobed rim is decorated with gold floral motifs along the body. The interior of the rim also has traces of gold gilding which has faded over time and probably due to much handling. It would have been used as a spitting receptacle, probably after smoking tobacco or taking snuff. This blue porcelain spittoon is a specialized type of ware called powder blue which was perfected between the Kangxi and Qianlong reign. They were made for domestic use but were also exported in large numbers, often with designs intended to appeal to Europeans, demonstrating the willingness of artisans in China to respond to foreign tastes.
