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March 29, 2024, 11:02:24 am
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Snuff Bottle with Inscription

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Author Topic: Snuff Bottle with Inscription  (Read 8375 times)
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richy88
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« on: September 19, 2013, 11:15:52 pm »

Hi All

Inscription on snuff bottles often fascinate me. The addition of an inscription not only added to the artistic appeal of the bottle but also show the character of the artist.

In this context, I am referring to bottles that have an inscription of significant length such as a poem and not just a title or signature.

Here is one of my favourite:

A small rectangular shape of pure 'boiled-egg white' semi-transparent glass bottle engraved in cursive script with the entire text of the Eulogy to My Humble Abode (陋室铭) written by Liu Yuxi (刘禹锡), a poet from the Tang dynasty. Signed Hongbin and dated spring, Ren Yin (壬寅) which corresponds to 1902. The other side engraved with a bird standing on a branch. Height: 44 mm.

Hongbin's full name is Zhou Hongbin (周鸿宾) also known as Zhou Honglai, was among the finest of the artists who specialised in micro-engraving at the end of the Qing dynasty. He worked mostly on glass, but occasionally on porcelain as well.

Provenance: Raymond Li

A similar bottle with the same text from the same artist is illustrated in the Bloch's Collection, bottle number 1051 in A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles Volume 5 Part 3: Glass.

Enjoy!


Richard






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« Last Edit: September 20, 2013, 03:54:06 am by richy88 » Report Spam   Logged

Richard from sunny Singapore
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« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2013, 02:57:04 am »

Woow Richard.  This is a bottle I would love to own... Beautiful!!
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« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2013, 05:25:48 am »

An exquisite bottle Richard.
I find it surprising that Zhou Honglai never worked on jade or hardstone bottles. I believe glass is trickier to incise, but I may be wrong. A collector friend has one of these bottles, but sadly it has started to crizzle, and the inscription is beginning to flake off.

Does anyone have any advice for him?

Tom
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richy88
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« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2013, 05:38:36 am »

Hi Tom

I think it depends on the style of the calligraphy.

As jade and other stone bottles are harder than glass, it may not be suitable for cursive script like the one Zhou Honglai specialised in as it will be difficult to achieve the fluid flow of the characters. Harder materials may be more adequate for the official type of calligraphy.

Just my observation.

Regards.


Richard
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« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2013, 10:09:44 am »

This is one of the most beautiful bottles Richard !
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« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2013, 03:14:45 pm »

Richard,
   The beauty of the calligraphy is matched by the beauty of the picture of the bird perched on the branch. While I stick to my chosen subjects in snuff bottles (jade, IPSB, B&W porcelain), this bottle would tempt me. Gorgeous!
  Shabbat Shalom,
     Joey
   
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« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2013, 06:21:12 pm »

Richard, WOW a real beauty!
Danna
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« Reply #7 on: September 20, 2013, 11:01:46 pm »

Thank you guys!
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« Reply #8 on: September 20, 2013, 11:20:05 pm »

I keep coming back to view this bottle over and over again ever since you posted it Richard..

Just a real beautiful bottle !
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« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2013, 11:23:58 pm »

Hi George

Thanks!

I'm glad you like it.

Regards.


Richard
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« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2013, 11:54:51 pm »

Guess I can join in the fun and include my Wang Chunguang painted Einstein bottle here in your caligraphy topic Richard..

I do not know the script word for word except that it is a short biography for him..

« Last Edit: September 20, 2013, 11:56:30 pm by Bottle Guy » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #11 on: September 21, 2013, 03:07:07 am »

Hi George

I would classify it as cursive script.

Regards.


Richard
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« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2013, 03:40:39 am »

Richard & George,
   I LOVED both calligraphy examples.
   In my opinion, it is not a problem for an artist this talented to do caoshu or xingkaishu in jade or other hardstones; but if he has a good market for his glass bottles, and presumably a good source of glass 'blanks', why fix something which isn't broken?
   The reason I know it's not a problem, is because I had a superb black and white jade, 18th C., possibly Imperial Workshops, which I bought from the Martin Schoen collection, NYC, in Feb.1988, and auctioned off in Hong Kong in 1993-1994 (i don't remember the date).  The white jade layer was carved as if it was overlay on the black material, with a monkey on a horse's back, reaching up for scrolls of knowledge or enlightenment in a pine tree. The reverse had a long, deeply incised inscription in Caoshu ( grass script) and Xingkaishu (cursive script). I might be wrong in my translation of the types of script...
   Best,
   Shabbat Shalom,
      Joey
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« Reply #13 on: September 22, 2013, 09:51:06 pm »

Richard,

The bottle is superb. Inscription on bottle is always an attraction to me.

Here is one of my collection. A slender-shaped Chalcedony bottle with inscription around it.
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« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2013, 09:52:21 pm »

Sorry for the omission !
Inn Bok


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« Reply #15 on: September 22, 2013, 11:36:17 pm »

Nice bottle, Inn Bok!
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« Reply #16 on: September 22, 2013, 11:44:17 pm »

Beautiful bottle Inn Bok !!
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« Reply #17 on: September 23, 2013, 01:14:45 am »

Thanks Richard and George.

This is a bone bottle with incription in running script.

inn bok


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« Reply #18 on: September 23, 2013, 10:26:28 am »

Dear Inn Bok,
    Both bottles are very nice, but the chalcedony would be my preference.
Best,
 Joey
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« Reply #19 on: September 23, 2013, 09:03:26 pm »

Thanks Joey.

I too like the Chalcedony one.

Inn Bok
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