Chinese Snuff Bottle Discussion Forum 中國鼻煙壺討論論壇

The Gathering => The Lounge => Topic started by: Wattana on September 02, 2016, 12:50:11 am



Title: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 02, 2016, 12:50:11 am
Hi All,

Since YT has taken a break from his 'carved nephrite' posts we appear to be overwhelmed by inside painted threads again.   ;)

So, for a little light relief I'm starting a new one for posting group shots of bottles in our collections. No fancy Photoshop pics please - just simply assembled groupings done the old-fashioned way.

I was going to place this post in the 'Gem, stone, rock and fossil' section, because that is where my first post fits. But I want to encourage other forum members to post their own group shots, and don't wish to restrict the types of bottles to one category, so thought The Lounge was more appropriate.

For the first post I am posting a group of one of my favourite types, ink-play chalcedony. Back in the 1960s these were referred to as 'patch agates', then through the 70s and 80s they became better known as shadow or silhouette agates. Then someone stated they were not technically agates, but a type of cryptocrystalline quartz silica called chalcedony. Soon afterwards the term 'ink-play' was coined.  So finally, they are 'ink-play chalcedony' bottles.....for the moment, at least.

Some in the following group have been posted individually before, so I will not describe them all in detail, just a summary...

Back row, left to right:

Bottle of flattened rounded form, with a recessed flat base surrounded by a raised footrim, the darker markings on one side edited to depict a bird perched on a branch looking over its shoulder, the reverse side plain save for very minor russet inclusions reminiscent of blowing leaves. Red glass stopper with a turquoise collar.
Height:   6.3 cm
1780-1860
---------------
Bottle of flattened rounded rectangular form, with raised footrim and recessed convex base, cylindrical neck and concave lip, well hollowed; the natural markings lightly edited to reveal the figure of a boy amidst rocks and foliage, chasing a bat, framed by the branches of an overhanging tree. Pink tourmaline stopper set in gilt-silver collar.
Height: 6.4 cm
1780-1880
---------------
Bottle of flattened rounded rectangular form with cylindrical neck, concave lip, and rounded footrim, the darker inclusions lightly edited to create a hawk standing on a rock with one foot raised, head turned towards the sun, a branch nearby.  Jadeite stopper set in a gilt-silver collar.
Height: 5.5 cm
Official School, 1760-1860

Front row, left to right:

Bottle of semi-transparent grey, of well hollowed rounded rectangular form with a cylindrical neck, concave lip and recessed elongated oval foot surrounded by a protruding flat footrim; the natural dark brown markings in the stone edited to create a silhouette design of a diving carp. Mother-of-pearl stopper set in a gilt-silver collar.
Height: 6.0 cm
1780-1850
---------------
Bottle of rounded compressed rectangular form with cylindrical neck, flat lip, a raised oval footrim with a flat recessed base; the natural dark inclusions minimally edited to reveal a bird standing on the ground with another swooping down from above. Tourmaline stopper set in a silver collar.
Height: 5.3 cm
Official School, 1790-1880
---------------
Bottle of well hollowed rounded rectangular form, with raised footrim and recessed convex base, cylindrical neck and concave lip; the natural markings lightly edited to depict a seated monkey reaching out towards a cluster of peaches growing from a branch. Pink tourmaline stopper set in gilt-silver collar.
Height: 5.1 cm
1770-1880
---------------
Bottle of bulbous rounded shape with tapering cylindrical neck, concave lip and flat oval base, one side carved in low relief using the dark inclusions to depict a fan-tailed carp amongst aquatic plants, the bulging eyes picked out by two dark spots; a flowering branch on the reverse. Coral stopper carved with a coiled chilong.
Height: 5.0 cm
1760-1840 
---------------
Enjoy!
 


Title: Re: Group shots
Post by: Steven on September 02, 2016, 01:00:17 am
What a wonderful big family. Love them all.

Congratulations Tom .

Steven


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 02, 2016, 01:03:44 am
Thanks Steven,

I have just renamed the thread - 'family shots' sounds much better!

Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on September 02, 2016, 01:15:10 am
Wow Tom !  :o

Outstanding and beautiful family you have there !


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on September 02, 2016, 01:20:11 am
A nice group Tom!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: AntPeople on September 02, 2016, 01:24:20 am
A happy family.... :D

Pin


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 02, 2016, 03:25:38 am
Dear Tom,
 
     That 'Family shot' is really beautiful. It really is 'old school'.  ;D
Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 02, 2016, 03:46:08 am

     That 'Family shot' is really beautiful. It really is 'old school'.  ;D


Thanks everyone for your comments.

Dear Joey,
Yes, it's Old School all right. In fact Class of '75.
That's when the first one in this group was acquired........41 years ago!  :D

Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Luke on September 02, 2016, 04:37:55 am
Nice bottles Tom! First one is my favourite, but look great together...  :P


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on September 02, 2016, 04:43:33 am
Dear Tom,

This is a nice group that looks good put together. When you refer to ink play, does it only refer to groups that are minimally carved?

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush on September 02, 2016, 04:58:53 am
Dear Tom,
excelelnt group of bottles and nice idea, thank you! I did the same a while ago on Gotheborg, I did name the thread "Gotheborg member's ensemble".
Giovanni


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 02, 2016, 05:18:12 am

This is a nice group that looks good put together. When you refer to ink play, does it only refer to groups that are minimally carved?


Dear Giovanni,
    An excellent title - 'ensemble' has musical connotations, so I never thought to use it for a group of bottles!

Dear YT,
    I would call 'ink-play' only those bottles without any surface carving and ones with minimal surface 'editing' as with the examples above. The next level up would include cameo carving, intaglio carving, incised carving, and all others with surface carving which exploit the natural markings, with some of the finest examples being classified as Suzhou style. 

Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: cshapiro on September 02, 2016, 08:49:17 am
Absolutely Stunning Tom! Thanks for sharing! I do not own a single bottle of this type, and they fetch very healthy prices when they do come up for auction! Lovely idea too! I look forward to seeing more families!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 02, 2016, 09:31:36 am
Dear Tom,

     When I collected Agates/Chalcedony bottles, I would not have refused space to any in this display.
Very impressive.
Thank you for posting.
Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Pat - 查尚杰 on September 02, 2016, 10:51:30 pm
Tom

What a nice display !  Thanks for sharing ... Having seen some or actually all of these in person individually I must say this is more impressive seen together..


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 04, 2016, 09:54:32 pm
Thanks for all your comments.

But this thread isn't supposed to be only about my bottles. Let's see some other family groups posted here.  8)


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on September 04, 2016, 11:33:21 pm
Thanks for all your comments.

But this thread isn't supposed to be only about my bottles. Let's see some other family groups posted here.  8)
Dear Tom,

It is not easy to gather a group and make them look good. Just take a look at the front cover of JICSBS, how many really stands out?
A group of top class enamels can look cheap(or the fakes will stand out  :P) if not place properly.

That's why I appreciated your first post and looking forward to your next.  ;D

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: cshapiro on September 05, 2016, 12:17:20 pm
The realgar bottles would have been a nice family addition here - I would vote that two realgar bottles make a family since they are hard to come by. I am afraid Tom that you raised the bar so high with your post, that it will be quite an act to follow! ;)


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 05, 2016, 09:11:41 pm
Dear YT and Cathy,

In order to lower the bar, here is a family comprising a dozen glass bottles. These were found inexpensively at Bangkok flea markets many years ago. Not being particularly attracted to glass snuff bottles I bought these mainly to have fun researching the decorative motifs and their meanings.

Regrettably, all of the bubble-suffused overlay bottles have, without exception, crizzled badly since acquiring them. From discussions elsewhere on this forum it appears other collectors have had similar experiences with their bubble-suffused glass bottles. The cause seems to be poor ingredients used in the manufacturing process, resulting in unstable glass......what one might describe as 'bio-degradable'...!   ;D

The opaque glass ones are still fine.

Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: cshapiro on September 05, 2016, 09:39:24 pm
Hahaha! Thank you for lowering the bar!

While the bottles look very nice, I am most envious of that 12 bottle box you have!

Sorry to hear about the bottles crizzling. I will have to keep an eye out for that on the few that I've acquired.

I want to play this game, and so I took a picture earlier of my family of glass imitation shadow agate bottles, but then I looked at your lovely bottles again and thought, naaaa - not even in the same ballpark!

So now I can post it!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 05, 2016, 11:52:15 pm
Nice quartet Cathy!

Chinese craftsmen loved to imitate one material with another, so these imitation shadow agates are highly collectible in their own right.

Keep 'em coming....

By the way, the 12x box also came from a Bangkok weekend market....and cost more than some of the bottles!   ;D


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 23, 2016, 05:42:30 am
OK, this thread has been rather quiet for a few weeks, so here is another 'family shot' for the weekend.

These are modern versions of the enamels on milk glass produced by the Palace workshops. Judging by the prices the genuine examples are achieving at auction, this little trio wouldn't leave much change out of $500,000. As that kind of spending is way beyond my reach I am quite content to have bought these 3 for less than $400.  ;D

From a technical point of view, due to modern materials and better control of the firing temperatures, these humble modern examples are arguably better made than the originals. Purists are allowed to disagree!

Left to right:
Enamels on milk glass snuff bottle of compressed pear form with slightly flared neck and flat lip, resting on a raised oval footrim with recessed base; painted on one side with asters, irises, mallow and branches of flower buds issuing from tall grasses, continuing to the other side with tree-peonies springing from rockwork, the neck with a band of interlocked scrolls interspersed with pendant florettes; the base inscribed with an apocryphal mark in regular script reading "Qianlong nian zhi" (made in the Qianlong period) in blue enamel. Celadon green jade stopper with a black collar.
Height   5.0 cm

Enamels on translucent white glass of flattened pear shape; painted on one main side with peonies, and on the other with a butterfly, peach blossoms and asters, reserved in oval panels set within a floral design on a yellow ground, the neck with a formalized floral scroll above a shoulder band of pendant lappets; the foot incised with an apocryphal mark in regular script reading "Qianlong nian zhi" (made in the Qianlong period) in blue enamel. Jasper stopper with a black collar.
Height   5.3 cm

Enamels on milk glass snuff bottle of compressed oval form with a cylindrical neck and flat lip, resting on a raise oval foot with a flat base; painted overall with a continuous mille-fleurs design on a black ground, the neck with a band of blue florettes on a black ground above a yellow margin; the base inscribed with an aprocryphal mark in red enamel reading "Guyue Xuan" (Ancient Moon Pavilion). Gilt bronze filigree stopper with red glass finial.
Height   4.5 cm

Enjoy...!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: samsonlzj on September 23, 2016, 09:24:07 am
Dear Tom,

Though modern, exquisite!

I especially like the first one on the left!

Good one!

Best,
Samson


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 23, 2016, 10:09:58 am
Dear Tom,

      My favourite is also the one on the left.
Samson has a good eye.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: joearp on September 23, 2016, 06:23:18 pm
Quite Lovely Tom!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: rpfstoneman on September 23, 2016, 07:48:01 pm
Tom,

Thanks for sharing these enamel on glass bottles.  My taste run from left to right as well (most favorite on the left, then the middle, and least on the right).  I'm going to have to find the time to start adding a few family photos of my own.  I see them in my mind, just need to do the photography. 

Charll   


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on September 23, 2016, 08:36:56 pm
I agree with favoring the one on the far left..

All are beautiful and thanks for sharing !


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 24, 2016, 08:28:09 am
Thank you all for your comments!

I will post the individual bottles on a separate thread in the near future.

Meanwhile, looking forward to seeing some other people's family shots.

Charll, I believe you can probably floor everyone else here with a group shot of your B&W porcelains.  ;)

Tom 


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on September 25, 2016, 03:51:26 am
Hi Tom

Thanks for this thread.

Just to join in the fun, I am posting 2 group photos of my 'floater family'! These are chalcedony bottles with natural inclusions, uncarved and relatively small in size (the first family).

Enjoy!


Richard


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 25, 2016, 04:30:06 am

I am posting 2 group photos of my 'floater family'


Hi Richard,

Two impressive looking 'families'.
And being floaters, safe to carry on you when you go swimming..!  ;D

Regards,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: samsonlzj on September 25, 2016, 04:39:10 am
Dear Tom,

I've heard of the term "floater" in the snuff bottle world, but what is its definition really?
I assume such bottles float on the water as you said, but what makes them float? Does it have anything to do with its structure?

Best,
Samson


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on September 25, 2016, 04:39:59 am
Hahaha Tom!

They're sure to keep me 'afloat'!  ;D ;D


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on September 25, 2016, 04:43:52 am
Hi Sam

Floaters usually refer to hardstone bottles (usually chalcedony) or jade bottles that are well hollowed until the wall is almost paper thin and float in water, and so the term.

Regards.


Richard


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 25, 2016, 04:47:11 am
Hi Sam,

Looks like Richard beat me to it with the answer!

Best,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 25, 2016, 06:23:13 am
Dear Samson,

     The bottle is extremely well hollowed, and then one puts a small piece of cellotape over the mouth. Without that, it would still sink, because  the neck is one of the heaviest parts of the bottle, so the bottle would fall over on its side, and then fill with water, if the mouth were not sealed with tape. One could also use a cork, but tape is easier.  :D

     After I started collecting, ca.1971, I heard the term 'floater', from a more veteran Toronto snuff bottle collector, the late Natie Katz (z"l), a friend of my late parents' (z"l), who explained and then demonstrated with a few of his bottles in a plastic basin filled with lukewarm water.

     First he put in a regularly well hollowed bottle, after putting a small piece of tape over the bottle's mouth; and it sank 'like the proverbial rock'.  ;D    Then he took the stopper off a 'floater', put a piece of tape over the mouth, and put it in the basin of water. It floated! I was amazed.

     Sadly, Mr. Katz wouldn't sell me any of his floaters, but in 1975, Y.F. Yang, then in Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong,  sold me one. I already had a few other Agates, and I had great fun showing friends in Jerusalem the same 'trick' Mr. Katz had shown me, 4 years earlier. No-one believed that you could get a solid stone bottle to float in water!  ;)

     Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 25, 2016, 06:24:08 am
Dear Richard,

     2 very nice 'group shots'! Thank you for posting.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 25, 2016, 06:28:46 am
Dear Cathy,
 
     I realised I'd not commented on your group shot. It is a nice group of glass snuff bottles imitating Agate (or Chalcedony, same thing). Well done.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: samsonlzj on September 26, 2016, 05:57:29 am
Dear Samson,

     The bottle is extremely well hollowed, and then one puts a small piece of cellotape over the mouth. Without that, it would still sink, because  the neck is one of the heaviest parts of the bottle, so the bottle would fall over on its side, and then fill with water, if the mouth were not sealed with tape. One could also use a cork, but tape is easier.  :D

     After I started collecting, ca.1971, I heard the term 'floater', from a more veteran Toronto snuff bottle collector, the late Natie Katz (z"l), a friend of my late parents' (z"l), who explained and then demonstrated with a few of his bottles in a plastic basin filled with lukewarm water.

     First he put in a regularly well hollowed bottle, after putting a small piece of tape over the bottle's mouth; and it sank 'like the proverbial rock'.  ;D    Then he took the stopper off a 'floater', put a piece of tape over the mouth, and put it in the basin of water. It floated! I was amazed.

     Sadly, Mr. Katz wouldn't sell me any of his floaters, but in 1975, Y.F. Yang, then in Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong,  sold me one. I already had a few other Agates, and I had great fun showing friends in Jerusalem the same 'trick' Mr. Katz had shown me, 4 years earlier. No-one believed that you could get a solid stone bottle to float in water!  ;)

     Best,
Joey


Dear Joey,

Well that's very interesting! You must have had great fun demonstrating the 'trick'! ;D
Would love to see the demonstration some day! But how well hollowed a bottle has to be to "float"? Do we measure the thinness of wall for that?

Best,
Samson


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 26, 2016, 04:42:13 pm
Dear Samson,

      Once you start picking up well hollowed antique plain agate bottles (and a truly tiny number of Jade 'floaters'; I think I've SEEN 3 in my collecting. Possibly 4. Whereas I have OWNED at least 10-15 Agate 'floaters'.), you will start to notice those which are especially well hollowed, because they will feel too light to be stone, but will obviously be stone.

      I've never seen a carved 'floater'; only plain (uncarved) examples. My assumption is that the extra thickness needed to do carving on the exterior is enough to make the bottle too heavy to float.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: samsonlzj on September 26, 2016, 07:14:51 pm
they will feel too light to be stone, but will obviously be stone.

That must be an incredible experience Joey. Sounds exciting, I'm trying to imagine that! :o
This skill would come in handy when I need to buy a "floater" in the future (if the seller wouldn't let me stick a cellotape over the bottle's mouth and put it in a basin of lukewarm water to test it.. I bet he/she won't :D)

Thanks!

Best,
Samson



Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 27, 2016, 01:03:06 am

      I've never seen a carved 'floater'; only plain (uncarved) examples. My assumption is that the extra thickness needed to do carving on the exterior is enough to make the bottle too heavy to float.


Dear Joey,

You are right - most are plain bottles, but I have one floater with mask handles. The others are all plain.

And I recall that Richard once posted a cameo carved floater. The only one I know of.

Best,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on September 27, 2016, 02:19:28 am
Dear Tom,

Attached is one with mask handles and I believe this to be one of the earliest mentioned of floating bottle in a catalog.

Besides white jade, I have a few Black & White Jades and Jadeites that looked like floaters too. My Lavender Jadeite look like a light bulb except for the blue inclusions.


Dear Samson,

You will not need to try with water. When you do encounter one, you will know it.

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: AntPeople on September 27, 2016, 02:38:07 am
Beautiful bottle !!!..... just like a fairy floating in the air..... ;D

Pin



Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on September 27, 2016, 02:39:33 am
Dear YT,

Do you know when the term 'floater' was first coined? I think it was quite some time earlier than this 1977 catalogue. I have a feeling it was already around in the 1960s, and may even be mentioned in Lilla Perry's book, but I'm not sure. It's certainly covered in Raymond Li's books.

By the way, that is a spectacular bottle you posted. Is this the jadeite one you refer to? It looks so transparent!

Best,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on September 27, 2016, 03:34:27 am
Dear Pin,

Thank you. It is very well carved- neck, foot, side mask.


Dear Tom,

That is the same Arthur Gadsby Agate bottle found in the catalog.
I don't mean when the term was coined but rather seeing 'float in water' being mentioned in an early catalog.

I will post my Jadeites in the future.

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on September 27, 2016, 05:24:36 am
Dear YT,
 
    I was at that auction!
It was my first international auction, although I was attending auctions in Toronto from Ward-Price and Waddington's, as well as Gallerie68 Auctions (three local auction houses in Toronto) with my late father of blessed memory from May 1970 till we moved to Israel in late June 1973.

   Agatha Aronson was very helpful, although I don't remember almost ANYONE bidding against me! They seemed to think that as the youngest attendee, I should be allowed to buy what I wanted. Having said that, I did not go after the serious stars of the auction. My eyes were focussed on the more reasonable bottles.

    I got a plain milk glass, 18th C. Palace Workshops, for US$50! I later (late 1980s) sold it to a young collector in North Andover MA, for the same price I'd paid in 1978. He had started at 12 (in 1988), and collected till he went to university. He is now a police officer in Silicon Valley.

    Re.'Floaters', #29 and #33 in my 1987 catalogue are 'floaters'. Both have 'taotie', but are plain front and reverse. When I wrote that I'd never seen a carved 'floater', I meant carved front and reverse. Obviously, #29 & #33 are 'carved' but to the sides, and the part that is thicker (ie, where the 'taotie' are actually situated), is quite small in relation to the vast majority of the bottle's surface which is plain and hollowed so thinly.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on October 05, 2016, 03:20:40 am
Hi guys

Have been quiet lately.

Posting an interesting group of figurine bottles: I called it "The Dance of The Deities".

A group of 3 jade figurine bottles.

The first, a black and white jade bottle carved as the figure of Shou Lao holding a peach with his right hand and a monkey carved using the translucent white skin, clinging to his body.

The second, a black and white jade figure bottle of Liu Hai holding the three-legged toad, the face and toad carved using the white skin of the stone.

The third, another figure bottle of Liu Hai carved using caramel brown and white jade. This time, the toad, carved using the lighter inclusion, is seen clinging on the side of Liu Hai.

Enjoy!


Richard


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on October 05, 2016, 08:07:30 am
Dear Richard,

      Thank you for posting these three well carved but totally modern bottles.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Luke on October 05, 2016, 10:17:56 am
Yes, very nice carving!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on October 05, 2016, 11:57:32 am
Yes, interesting bottles, and thank you for sharing them with us ..


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on October 05, 2016, 08:30:07 pm
Dear Richard,

Very cute figurines especially in a much sorted material.
The first and third are made for snuff bottle. The middle figurine looks to be a converted bottle.

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on October 05, 2016, 10:22:53 pm
Hi Richard,

A wonderful "family" you have there!

All three are beautifully carved, and excellent modern examples of creative craftsmanship. I wonder how long it will be before these lapidaries begin signing their works like top enamellers are starting to do.

The green stopper on the third bottle - is that carved in the form of an 'extra' toad?

Regards,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on October 05, 2016, 11:03:58 pm
Sharp eyes you have Tom!

Yes, it is indeed another three-legged toad as the stopper!

All of us have our own collecting interest and direction. While some of us just want to collect antique, I am geared toward objects of beauty. Therefore, a nice modern piece is fine with me, just like modern inside painted bottles. It need not be old to be appreciated.

On the other hand, if it is an old bottle with little artistic value, it will not appeal to me even it has some age.

To each his own!

Regards.


Richard


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on October 06, 2016, 02:07:14 am
Hi Richard,

I generally agree with your philosophy. This opens the way for modern craftsmen to produce items with pride, develop in new directions, and not be stuck in a groove, copying so as to pass their work off as old. As you say, just as they do with IP bottles, and more recently with enamels on glass.   

Regards,
Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on October 06, 2016, 04:15:10 am
Hi Tom

I fully agreed with what you said.

We should give every artist the opportunity to showcase his talent and creativity. I would define ourselves as art collectors rather than antique collectors.

Remember the gorgeous green jade bottle I posted sometime ago by a contemporary Shanghai artist? Nobody can deny the fact that it is a magnificent work of art, although it was created just yesterday.

Regards.


Richard



Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on October 06, 2016, 04:22:57 am
Hi guys

Just to recap, here is the thread:

http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,2197.0.html (http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,2197.0.html)

And I attach the image of the green jade bottle again for easier reference.

Regards.


Richard


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: samsonlzj on October 06, 2016, 06:10:07 am
Dear Tom and Richard,

I agree with both of you that we should give devoted contemporary artists opportunities to pass on and promote magnificent art forms.

Best,
Samson


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on October 06, 2016, 07:46:00 am
Dear Richard,

      Again, I must stress the word, "STUNNING" !
It truly is. Were you ever able to find out the height and price of this example?
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: joearp on October 18, 2016, 03:37:46 pm
Thanks for sharing these Richard! 


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on October 28, 2016, 01:12:17 am
Hi All,

I am reviving this thread with a group of fossiliferous limestone bottles. The two 'juveniles' are on the outside edges, flanking the older generation! From left to right in this family shot are:

ONE - Fossiliferous limestone snuff bottle, the pale beige matrix mottled with grey sedimentary and minute marine fossil inclusions, of compressed ovoid form, with a slightly tapering neck, broad flat lip, and a recessed base with a raised flat oval footrim. Coral glass stopper mounted in a silver collar.
Height: 5.8 cm
ca. mid-1990s
----
TWO - A fossiliferous limestone snuff bottle of compressed rounded form, with flared neck, concave lip and a raised oval concave foot; the black matrix evenly suffused with vertically orientated pale grey marine inclusions. This one is unusual in having the polyps inclusions running vertically to create a basket-like impression. Green jadeite stopper set in a gilt-silver collar.
Height  5.2cm
ca. 1760-1850
----
THREE - Fossiliferous limestone snuff bottle of elongated flask form, with cylindrical neck, flat lip, and a recessed flat foot surrounded by a raised footrim, neatly carved taotie mask-and-ring handles at the lateral sides; the black matrix evenly suffused with light grey marine inclusions, giving the impression of a starry night sky. The mask handles are an unusual feature for this type of bottle. Pink coral stopper mounted in a silver collar.
Height: 7.6 cm
ca. 1780-1850
----
FOUR - Fossiliferous limestone snuff bottle of compressed ovoid form with a slightly tapering neck and shoulders, flat oval lip, and a raised oval foot with flat base; the marine polyps forming cream coloured circles against a reddish-brown matrix. Turquoise stopper set in a silver collar; brass spoon in the shape of an open-palmed hand.
Height: 6.2 cm
ca. 1780-1880
----
FIVE - Fossiliferous limestone snuff bottle, the stone suffused with grey-black, red, ochre and beige inclusions, of flattened rounded rectangular form, with cylindrical neck, flat lip and a raised flat foot. Black agate stopper with black vinyl collar.
Height: 6.7 cm
ca. 1980-1990


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: AntPeople on October 28, 2016, 02:20:20 am
Hi Tom :

Thanks for sharing.... nice group of bottles, I like number 3 and 4 the most.

Pin


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on October 28, 2016, 03:45:26 am
Wonderful group Tom !!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: joearp on October 28, 2016, 03:47:51 am
Beautiful.  I like them all and thanks for sharing Tom.


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush on October 28, 2016, 06:37:29 am
Really nice dear Tom, thank you for sharing them.
Giovanni


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: richy88 on October 28, 2016, 07:06:01 am
Nice group Tom!


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司 on October 28, 2016, 12:45:17 pm
Dear Tom,

    At the risk of sounding like Woodie Allen in "Annie Hall" (echoing the others with, "Great ham, Grannie Hall!"), I do agree with everyone else. A very fine group of plain bottles with interesting markings, whether the older or modern examples.
Best,
Joey


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: YT on October 29, 2016, 02:44:49 am
Dear Tom,

Nice group here.
Fossiliferous limestone is not an easy subject to collect with majority made to look old.

Cheers,
YT


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on October 30, 2016, 09:12:41 pm
Dear All,

Thanks for your complimentary responses!
I will post the 3 older ones on a separate thread soon.

Tom


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on November 20, 2016, 04:29:06 pm
I tried to win one of these at auction last year.. These are of course new, and the old ones rarely come up. 

Here is a little about these.
http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,2546.msg33643.html#msg33643


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: George on November 20, 2016, 05:14:22 pm
I tried to win one of these at auction last year.. These are of course new, and the old ones rarely come up. 

Here is a little about these.
http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,2546.msg33643.html#msg33643

You must have removed your group shot Cathy ?


Title: Re: Group or family shots
Post by: Wattana on November 21, 2016, 12:20:30 am
Huh..... ???