About This Forum

This snuff bottle community forum is dedicated to the novice, more experienced, and expert collectors. Topics are intended to cover all aspects and types of bottle collecting. To include trials, tribulations, identifying, researching, and much more.

Among other things, donations help keep the forum free from Google type advertisements, and also make it possible to purchases additional photo hosting MB space.

Forum Bottle in the Spotlight

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.


Chinese Snuff Bottle Discussion Forum 中國鼻煙壺討論論壇
March 29, 2024, 09:07:08 am
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
 
  Home Help Search Contact Login Register  

very small bottle

Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: very small bottle  (Read 871 times)
0 Members and 57 Guests are viewing this topic.
shane
Guest
« on: January 31, 2014, 03:46:57 am »

 hi all    shane from australia    i pick this up  at a flee market 
would it be a snuff bottle  for starters  and  would it be classed as a small bottle  and what is it made from  looks like mother of pearl but i think its stone not shell  and the silver one  i have no idea  what it says  will try for a better picture 
and thank for looking at my item
shane


* 003.JPG (50.06 KB, 448x336 - viewed 34 times.)

* 005.JPG (48.31 KB, 448x336 - viewed 28 times.)

* 004.JPG (47.42 KB, 448x336 - viewed 26 times.)

* 007.JPG (53.16 KB, 448x336 - viewed 27 times.)

* 008.JPG (44.64 KB, 448x336 - viewed 25 times.)
Report Spam   Logged

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

shane
Guest
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2014, 03:48:24 am »

sorry  forgot the size pic   i am a idiot  sorry  this is what  is on the bottom of the other one silver i think  nice piece   not as nice as the stone  looking one  no carvings just nice piece


* 006.JPG (52.18 KB, 448x336 - viewed 23 times.)

* 009.JPG (44.76 KB, 448x336 - viewed 24 times.)

* 010.JPG (51.53 KB, 336x376 - viewed 25 times.)

* 013.JPG (48.51 KB, 336x388 - viewed 22 times.)
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 04:03:27 am by shane » Report Spam   Logged
Wattana
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 6133



« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2014, 05:11:18 am »

Hi Shane,

Firstly, welcome to the forum! You have come to the right place to discuss snuff bottles.

The smaller bottle has the irridescence normally asociated with nacre, or what is commonly called mother-of-pearl. It is the pearly lining of a large shell creature, and you can see the unmistakable layers as the material was ground away to create the shape of the finished bottle. It is usually heavy and cold to the touch, same as stone. But a small drop of vinegar or diluted acid applied to an inconspicuous part of the bottle should confirm it. Nacre will dissolve in acid.

The larger metal bottle looks like silver or a copper alloy known as 'white copper', popular in the Far East. It was probably made in the latter part of the 20th century (1970s onward) for the tourist market. I can't make out the stamp on the base. Maybe one of our Chinese members can decipher it.

Let's see... 
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 05:15:41 am by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

Collecting since 1971

Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 4049



« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2014, 05:12:22 am »

Dear Shane,
welcome to the board. The first bottle is not stone; judging by the pictures, although small, it is mother of pearl because it has the typical shines of that material. The small size also is pointing to that because the mother of pearl has a limited thickness. It si very nice just because of its simple elegance.
I can't say nothing about the silver bottle, other members here will tell you more.
Kind regards
Giovanni
Report Spam   Logged

Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 4049



« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2014, 05:13:46 am »

Dear Tom we did post at the same time. I see you have been more precise than myself, thank you.
Giovanni
Report Spam   Logged

Wattana
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 6133



« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2014, 05:16:40 am »

Dear Giovanni,

It looks as if we did...!
Report Spam   Logged

Collecting since 1971

shane
Guest
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2014, 05:34:32 am »

wow you are quick  I have tried the ice test on the silver  it seems to be silver    other not shore   still think its a stone sound like stone   but every thing you say  if right    and you are good   as its just mother of pearl I guess its not worth much  can you tell how old it might be by the spoon shape   
hope  the other can be solved   
Report Spam   Logged
shane
Guest
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2014, 05:40:03 am »

 one   question  what it the smallest you have seen or owned   lets see whos the quickest 
Report Spam   Logged
Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 11283


« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2014, 05:52:07 am »

Dear Shane,
   The smallest bottle I have seen was about 14 mm.
Don't assume that because it is small, it's value is less. Not necessarily.
The most I ever paid for a bottle was paid for a very small jade with an Imperial mark, and it was less than 38 mm. high! And i'm talking more than US$50K.
Joey
Report Spam   Logged

Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

shane
Guest
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2014, 06:35:08 am »

 picture 2 shows some pink  I still have trouble that this is shell  it looks like stone to me   and the colour is hard to photograph its just so gold looking and just has a  natural glow  are these pearl look one  common  hope the true colour you can see in the pictures its just got wow factor  also  its 36mm high and 15mm wide and 6.1mm thick  weight is 8.1 grams


* 015.JPG (40.86 KB, 226x448 - viewed 22 times.)

* 018.JPG (43.49 KB, 275x448 - viewed 21 times.)

* 017.JPG (42.99 KB, 277x448 - viewed 22 times.)

* 019.JPG (39.09 KB, 248x448 - viewed 22 times.)
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 06:39:03 am by shane » Report Spam   Logged
Peter Bentley 彭达理
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 2600



« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2014, 08:02:58 am »

Hi Shane

How  about  these  for  a   VERY   small  bottle ?

Inside   painted  !

By  Jiang Wenchun   姜 文 春  who   is  the  ultimate  miniature    bottle   painting   expert   ( also   a  specialist  in painting  horses ) 

There's  currently  one  of  his    tiny  bottles   on  sale  at China  Arts  and  Crafts (  Hong Kong)  for  HK$996,000      which  is    about  US$ 120,000  (complete  with  magnifying glass  in  a  presentation  box)..

The   price  is    crazy  -  totally  inflated  .  But  to  buy  such a  bottle   would   cost , realistically,  US$ 15,000

Cheers
Peter


* (77).jpg (215.97 KB, 2026x1865 - viewed 24 times.)

* CIMG9780.JPG (45.3 KB, 409x336 - viewed 18 times.)
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 08:59:39 am by Peter Bentley 彭达理 » Report Spam   Logged

shane
Guest
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2014, 01:09:25 pm »

 that's amazing      there small    could only dream of one for that price   I paid 2 for $5 they would have o be worth more the  that
Report Spam   Logged
Peter Bentley 彭达理
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 2600



« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2014, 01:36:43 pm »

Hi  Shane

I   don't  understand   your  meaning.   Sorry

I can  only  tell  you  that  a  miniature  INSIDE   PAINTED    BOTTLE     of    2  cm x  2   cm  of    that  quality    would   seriously   set  you  back  about  US$15,000    direct   from   artist  (if indeed   he   still  can  paint   to that level )

Cheers
Peter
« Last Edit: January 31, 2014, 01:38:17 pm by Peter Bentley 彭达理 » Report Spam   Logged

Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 4049



« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2014, 02:26:09 pm »

Dear Shane,
you said that you guess it is not worth so much and you are right. If you think to sell it, I will be interested since I like organic bottles.
Giovanni
Report Spam   Logged

shane
Guest
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2014, 03:53:50 am »

 wow guys  what you collect is amazing i have had a look around  the net today and there are just too many  bottles to collect 
Were would my one be  common. rare.  very rare.    and  what would it be worth  cant find many mother  of pearl bottles   and  why would my one not be carved   
SHANE
Report Spam   Logged
Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 4049



« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2014, 06:23:43 am »

Dear Shane
I have some difficulty in understanding what you say. Do you think that you bottle is a rare and valuable one? Everybody can tell you that it is not the case. Mother of pearl botlles are not rare and generally they are meant as object for display or tourist items. Also about the carved ones, it is matter of taste. Here you can see my one, a mother of pearl bottle carved in shape of a fish. I prefer small and simple bottle in general than the carved ones.
Giovanni


* IMG_1.jpg (78.07 KB, 724x900 - viewed 18 times.)
Report Spam   Logged

shane
Guest
« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2014, 02:46:25 pm »

  sorry  five roosters
 i dont care if its not valuble  i paid $5 for the both   
i like to track the history of the things i buy and own  i live a a sheep station 140km from any were and we  are in the worst drought in history 27mm rain last year  we have no stock and  i am bored 
sitting here on the computer looking up the thing we have bought over the years  he lived near  a old chinese miners town were they mined for tin so there is a few old thing around our distict from chinese miners  found a chinese bangle just yesterday with a metal detector 
Report Spam   Logged
Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 11283


« Reply #17 on: February 01, 2014, 06:57:52 pm »

Shane,
 I didn't realise that you are on the Forum all the way from Australia. Wow! I live in Israel but am visiting in the UK at present.
Best Wishes,
Joey
Report Spam   Logged

Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

shane
Guest
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2014, 03:12:10 pm »

  thanks  guys for all your help  ha would the silver one have any value
or is it tourist junk 
Report Spam   Logged
Wattana
Private Boards
Hero Member
***
Gender: Male
Posts: 6133



« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2014, 08:48:52 pm »

Hi Shane,

The silver bottle was made for the tourist trade. But if it is silver, as you indicated from your test, then it has some value.

It would help if you could post a better shot of the marrk on the base. One of our Chinese speaking members may be able to read it.
Report Spam   Logged

Collecting since 1971

Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by EzPortal