White nephrite jade: a challenge to photograph

[Wattana]

White nephrite jade snuff bottles are one of the most satisfying types to handle, having a wonderfully smooth and waxy feel to them as you turn them in your hand. They are also one of the trickiest groups to photograph well. Very rarely do photographs do them full justice. I have tried over the years to capture even a little of their beauty on camera, but never quite managed it, so have not posted any on the forum. Now I have given our daughter the task of re-photographing the entire collection. The plain white jades are a challenge, but I at last feel more comfortable about sharing some of them on the forum.

Description:
White nephrite snuff bottle of elongated rectangular shape with rounded shoulders, a gently flared neck with a flat mouth, tapering slightly to a slender base surrounded by a narrow oval footrim, the pale celadon tone of the stone suffused with a few flecks of opaque white; very well hollowed. Blue clear glass stopper carved in the form of a fou lion’s head, mounted on a turquoise glass collar.

Height without stopper: 7.2 cm
Tentative dating: late 1700s to mid-1800s

Additional Comments:         
The relatively large mouth, narrow flat lip, and slightly flared neck are all characteristics suggesting a mid to late eighteenth century production, when these features seem to have been popular at court. Dick Wang notes that a faint beige streak in the stone suggests the possibility that this bottle may have been buried in the earth for a number of years, entombed as a treasured object of a deceased owner. Jade artifacts that have been thus buried are commonly termed ‘burial jade’, often developing a distinctive patchy discoloration of the surface of the material.** The present example appeared initially to display an extremely faint version of this characteristic, which derives from prolonged contact with damp or humid conditions. However, upon closer examination against a strong light the apparent darker streak is simply an area of slightly greater translucency in the natural stone, appearing darker when held against a dark background, and paler when against a lighter background.

Provenance:   Wang & Co., September 2010
Published:      Wang & Co. catalogue, One Man's Choice III, lot 30

Note** - There is considerable controversy as to whether such snuff bottles do actually come from burial sites. The current consensus is that, with few exceptions, it is not very likely to be the case.

[George]

Wow... Stunning bottle Tom.

Love the elegant elongated rectangular shape..

[Wattana]

George,

Thanks for the compliments....! 

[Steven]

For some reason, I missed this one.

Wow,I love the bottle, I must be feeling really good when you handle it, I even can feel it through the photos.

Also you daughter has done a wonderful job to photograph it.

One  question, the top of the mouth looks not smooth as the body and foot rim? or its just the camera doesn't do the right?

Steven

[Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush]

Dear Tom,
thanks for showing this bottle, I like this type of bottles very much.
Your daughter has a great skill in taking photo, well done.
About the brownish streaks on white jade, I heard that it is a typical feature of stones that has been half buried from many hundred years, typically river pebble stones.
Kind regards
Giovanni

[Peter Bentley 彭达理]

Hi  Tom

Amazing  photography ( and  an  amazing bottle  !)

Cheers
Peter

[Wattana]

Dear Giovanni,
    Yes, the dealer who sold me this bottle made the same comment. But on close examination under a magnifying lens the beige streak seen here is a kind of natural fissure line deep inside the stone (not on the surface). As I mentioned, it appears darker only when held against a dark background, and lighter than the surrounding stone when held up to a light. So I conclude that it is simply an area of greater translucency (which also happens to be a very pale beige).

Steven,
    The top of the mouth is perfectly smooth. What you may be seeing are small traces of snuff powder sticking to the inside of the lip. The attached close-up picture may help.

Peter,
    Thanks!

Indeed, thank you all for your kind comments. My daughter will be very happy to hear that!  

Tom

[richy88]

Very elegant bottle, Tom!