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Chinese Snuff Bottle Discussion Forum 中國鼻煙壺討論論壇
March 28, 2024, 04:23:37 pm
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Snuff Bottles made of Unusual Materials

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Author Topic: Snuff Bottles made of Unusual Materials  (Read 1869 times)
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Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
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« Reply #20 on: November 03, 2014, 02:14:49 am »

Dear Richard,
I found strange that your shark skin bottle has a metal core. My one has a wood core, as I thought has all the bottles of this type. Good to know that.
Giovanni
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richy88
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« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2014, 02:33:00 am »

Hi Govanni

Maybe you can post a photo of your bottle for comparison?

Thanks.


Richard
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Richard from sunny Singapore
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Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
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« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2014, 03:55:48 am »

Dear Richard,
here is my shagreen (shark or ray skin) bottle. I am also posting a detail showing the wood core.
Kind regards
Giovanni
 


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David
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« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2014, 10:54:58 am »

Hi Giovanni and Richard,

One thing I don't understand is why use shark/ray skin to wrap the snuff bottle? Aside from the look, is there any benefit?

if they used shark/ray, do they also use leather?

Thanks,
David
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Wattana
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« Reply #24 on: November 04, 2014, 02:31:32 am »

Hi David,
     On swords I believe that wrapping the handle in shark or ray skin helps to improve one's grip of the weapon.  But when it comes to a snuff bottle there is no practical reason for using shark / ray skin to wrap it. It was simply a fad / fashion for creating new and unusual bottles to meet demand for such things, which started in the later part of the 1800s.
     I have never seen a leather wrapped bottle, but there are bottles either wrapped in or made from: tangerine peel, walnut shell, peach stone, seed pod, coconut shell, gourd, horn, and of course tortoise shell.

Hi Richard and Giovanni,
     As far as I am aware, a wood bottle core for shark / ray skin is more common than a metal core.

Regards,
Tom
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Collecting since 1971

richy88
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« Reply #25 on: November 04, 2014, 02:44:38 am »

Hi Tom

I agreed.

Regards.


Richard
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Richard from sunny Singapore
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David
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« Reply #26 on: November 04, 2014, 11:53:59 am »

Hi Tom,

Thank you, I also think it hardens the wood hilt surrounding the "tang" from splitting and keeps the wood form absorbing blood (enemy's... hopefully) and sweat. So, was wondering if that could be a reason for perhaps rich fisherman that likes snuffing  Cheesy

I though I saw a leather perfume bottle or scent bottle on Etsy or Bonanza, that I dismissed. But, recalled after seeing these shark skinned ones.

It's funny, I never thought of snuff bottle as fad for the upper class of the past. So, these odd organic ones are kind of like after they peaked out skills in jade, precious stone, glass, etc... and try to make it different?

Best Regards,
David
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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #27 on: November 04, 2014, 04:48:20 pm »

Dear David,
    Or sometimes, the bottles were made up to sell to Westerners visiting China (between 1850 and the present; mostly from 1960 to present), who were looking for 'rare, one of a kind' bottles.
     As a rule, Chinese art doesn't 'do' "one of a kind".
Everything serious in the Chinese art context seems to be more 'variations on a theme'.
The more individualistic West used to go more for 'one of every kind'. I met an English collector in Bangkok last week, who'd lived in Hong Kong in the 1960s and 1970s, who could have bought imperial wares for HK$50-100, but bought anything he liked under HK$30 each.
He still bought some great bottles, but mainly mediocre examples. But he wanted 'one of each kind'.
    Best,
Joey
     
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

David
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« Reply #28 on: November 04, 2014, 09:48:09 pm »

Hi Joey,

I keep on forgetting that trade with the west from China began so much more early than I have in mind (end of Qing/early Republic). And sharp business man in Canton, Peking, and Shang Hai must have noticed the westerner's preference.

That is too bad, but he still did very well. A 30 dollar bottle then is still a very expensive bottle when you consider the standard of living in the East at the time. That is a good point, he should have also diversified risk across price range/quality.

Just for perspective, in the late 70s, I can buy food for lunch around 10 cents. So, a 30 dollar bottle is like at around 300 lunches. A cheap lunch now in Taiwan is about 3-5 dollars. So, if his bottle is worth more than 900 to 1500 dollars, then he did great (I am sure it is a lot more than that).

Thank you,
David
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David

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