More wood bottles

All,

Being a Professional Forester I've always appreciate beautifully created items made of wood. However given wood's natural characteristic of drying and checking over time if left unsealed, old intact snuff bottles of wood are uncommon. Thus, those that seek out wooden snuff bottles may need to relinquish themselves possibly to collecting contemporary bottles of good quality. Here is a recent acquisition and my first snuff bottle in wood.

Carved Wood Snuff Bottle:
Carved Camphor wood snuff bottle (Camphor Laurel: Cinnamomum camphora) of flattened rectangular form, with a design of cranes amongst rock outcrops with pine trees to either side, in light relief; matching stopper with ivory spoon. Interior is fairly well hollowed but left unfinished. Height 6.6 cm or 2 9/16" without stopper.

Period: Contemporary, Late 20th Century

Camphor Laurel is native to southeast Asia, widely planted throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The Camphor tree at maturity is 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-4 ft (.6-1.2 m) trunk diameter.

Color/Appearance: Color can be highly variable depending on species and growing conditions; generally a light brown, frequently with shades of gray, red, or olive green. Occasionally contains darker streaks. Paler sapwood isn’t always clearly differentiated from the heartwood. Burls are also commonly seen, and are considered highly decorative

Comments: Perhaps known more famously for its beautiful burls, Camphor is also cultivated for its aromatic oils, which are used in a variety of culinary and medicinal applications. Camphor has a very characteristic odor, for which the tree is named. The most recognizable product that contains the extracts of camphor are medicated chest rubs, which have the same distinct scent. In addition to its medicinal values, the lingering scent of Camphor is also reported to inhibit silver from tarnishing and ward off moths, and the wood is sometimes used in trunks and chests where valuables are stored.

Charll