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Charll shared this beautiful Xianfeng (1851-1861) dated bottle depicting NeZha combating the Dragon King amongst a rolling sea of blue and eight mythical sea creatures.


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Carved Glass Utilizing a Swirl Pattern

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Author Topic: Carved Glass Utilizing a Swirl Pattern  (Read 1645 times)
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rpfstoneman
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« on: December 21, 2013, 04:27:36 pm »

When I first saw this snuff bottle I immediately knew I had to have it.  The room was poorly lit and all I could make out is that the carving incorporated usage of a colored swirl pattern in the glass as part of the design.  What you see in the photos is all I could see when I knew this bottle was going to be mine.
 
So what can you see? 

It wasn’t until I got the bottle into the sunlight and tilted it that the carved images fully revealed themselves.   

The bottle was purchased from Marsha Vargas Handley at Xanadu Gallery in San Francisco.   It came out of a Sacramento, California, collection of seventy plus bottles that was put together in the 1970’s.  Marsha felt it was a late 19th century bottle.  It is 5.5 cm in height without the stopper and 3.8 cm wide. Sits on a shallow raised oval foot ring, well hollowed to the point that it’s weight is feather light.  Serpentine cabochon stopper and black nylon collar that is likely a later addition if the bottle is 19th century. 

Enjoy trying to figure this one out, Charll


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* CarvedGlassSwirle_19thCentury_Sideb.jpg (131.89 KB, 570x700 - viewed 35 times.)
« Last Edit: December 21, 2013, 04:41:10 pm by rpfstoneman » Report Spam   Logged

Charll K Stoneman, Eureka, California USA, Collector Since 1979.

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Steven
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« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2013, 04:48:04 pm »

Dear Charll,

A wonderful bottle, I like it very much.. I see two turtles and hour snakes.Smiley maybe there are more...
« Last Edit: December 21, 2013, 04:52:19 pm by Steven » Report Spam   Logged

rpfstoneman
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« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2013, 04:54:32 pm »

Nice eye Steven,

There are actually four snakes, two on each side.  But only one turtle.  What you think is a second turtle can only be fully seen once the bottle is tilt back and forth in the light from an angle.   Once it is seen, then you say of course, and you can make it out from the straight on view also.  Charll 
« Last Edit: December 21, 2013, 05:00:31 pm by rpfstoneman » Report Spam   Logged

Charll K Stoneman, Eureka, California USA, Collector Since 1979.

Pat - 查尚杰
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Zha Shang Jie 查尚杰


« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2013, 10:34:54 pm »

Beautiful piece Charll.
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Best Regards

Pat
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Zha Shang Jie

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« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2013, 11:43:13 pm »

Beautiful bottle Charll ...  Smiley
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rpfstoneman
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« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2013, 01:27:15 pm »


So here is what you have when the bottle is tilted in the light.



It's a Bixi!!!  A bixi with a snake a flanking each side.  As said the other side is a turtle and two snakes.  If anyone could give me an idea or thought on the symbolism of this motif it would be appreciated.  Below is the canted image of the side with the turtle.



Thanks for the comments and any further insight on this bottle, Charll
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Charll K Stoneman, Eureka, California USA, Collector Since 1979.

Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2013, 01:43:44 pm »

Dear Charll,
   Very interesting bottle! I thought at first that the 'turtle' was a duck, but then identified the cross hatched carapace. I thought it was being raped by the bird behind it. I didn't see the dragon tortoise till I looked at the slanted shot.
   I've seen many of these glass bottles, and they are late 19th C., but I have NEVER seen one carved before. Congratulations!
Joey
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

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« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2013, 02:36:20 pm »

You have some of the coolest bottles Charll... !
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Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
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« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2013, 03:09:18 pm »

Dear Charll,
It is a known motif. You certainly know that turtle alone is an important motif in Chinese art. It represents the universe, being its carapace round as the Sky and the belly square as the Earth. Imperial stone stele was standing on a turtle representing stability due to the slow movement of the animal. Coming back to the turtle and the snake, the motif is not mentioned by Terese Tse Bartholomew in her “Hidden meanings in Chinese Art”. From the link here below, I am extracting here for ease the following:
“As there are no male tortoise -- as the ancient believed -- the female had to mate with a snake. Thus the tortoise embracing a snake became the protector symbol of the north, ……”
But I have something to show you.
Here below you can see the motif on a bronze mirror that I have. Not sure about the right period, if Tang-Song-Yuan. The mirror is full of hidden meanings, being basically the main one the representation of the four cardinal points. The turtle is the North, as said above.
The last picture is showing something unique. A water dropper of the Han dynasty that is in the Chinese museum of Parma, 60 km from where I live. One of the very few known Han pottery that is dated and signed. On the reverse is written “made by Chou San, in the fifth year of Chien An”. The Chien An period ranges from AD 196 to 220, during the reign of the last Han emperor, Hsien Ti (or Min Ti). It cames from the collection C. T. Loo.
In the book of the museum, the author says that the motif of the tortoise and the snake is representing happiness and wealth, and a powerful talisman to ward off evil. I do not know from where the Author, the deceased previous director of the museum, took this information. I only know that in writing down the catalog of the museum he has been assisted by the Chinese scholar Ye Zhemin, an authority in Chinese art.
Here is the link from where I took the meaning of the turtle and snake motif:
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ssu-ling.shtml
And here a further link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tortoise

Kind regards
Giovanni


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« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2013, 06:25:53 pm »

Goivanni,

Thanks for the information.  Is sounds similar to what I found, but still do not quite have the context to fully understand the meaning.  Charll

Xuan Wu Dragon Tortoise
"The dragon tortoise with a snake carried on its back is known to be Xuan Wu or Lord of the North. The Xuan Wu Dragon Tortoise is best to usher in good luck in while suppressing any instability caused by certain energy disorders. These are the two marshals (I presume meaning the tortoise and the snake) said to belong to a deity named Xuan Thien Shang Di.  One representing a water element and the other a fire element. Their combination is said to be able to control fate, relieve disasters, treat ailments, prolong life and bring in good fortune."
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Charll K Stoneman, Eureka, California USA, Collector Since 1979.

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« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2016, 09:50:27 pm »

This is a collectors bottle separate from the forum..

I wanted to share it to ask opinions for dating. 

Quite unusual patterns, that I can only suspect are created in a similar way with a different outcome than the bottles Charll shared here.



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* glass3.jpg (24.67 KB, 750x497 - viewed 18 times.)

* glass4.jpg (30.21 KB, 960x746 - viewed 13 times.)
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cshapiro
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« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2016, 11:09:33 pm »

George - I'm sure you already know that is what's called a millefiori pattern.  They seem to fetch pretty good prices at auction.  I'm so glad you posted it on this thread because I had never seen this turtle and snake bottle of Charll's - what an amazing bottle!!!
« Last Edit: September 05, 2016, 11:13:13 pm by cshapiro » Report Spam   Logged

Cathy
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