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March 28, 2024, 01:23:25 pm
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A jet mellon snuff bottle

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PeterH
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« on: June 25, 2014, 01:52:48 am »

A jet snuff bottle carved in the form of a mellon from the Wise Collection USA. Height is 78 mm minus the stopper. Said to be 19C.


* jetW1.JPG (39.97 KB, 640x480 - viewed 31 times.)

* jetW2.JPG (40.02 KB, 640x480 - viewed 27 times.)

* jetW3.JPG (38.42 KB, 640x480 - viewed 24 times.)
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Wattana
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« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2014, 02:08:35 am »

Peter,

That is a very elegant bottle. Have you tried polishing it up? Vaughan once suggested using silicone oil.

Tom
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Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
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« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2014, 05:40:39 am »

Dear Peter,
I don't think this is mellon shaped. Aubergine, may be?
Giovanni
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Wattana
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« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2014, 05:53:31 am »

Dear Giovanni,

That was my first reaction, too. But then I compared with examples of aubergine shape snuff bottles (a well-known Imperial series in white jade, with a green calyx around the mouth). They always have a rounded base, just like a real aubergine. Peter's bottle has a more pointed base.

Tom
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« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2014, 06:44:40 am »

Dear Tom,
we had the same doubt, that indeed is the reason why I did use the question mark. But melon, surely not because it does not have the calix. If not aubergine, which is common in Chinese art, some fruit or vegetable that I don't know.
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Giovanni
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George
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« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2014, 12:59:44 pm »

Very nice bottle.. Believe this the first fruit/vegetable shaped I have seen carved from jet..
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Wattana
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« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2014, 09:14:32 pm »

Very nice bottle.. Believe this the first fruit/vegetable shaped I have seen carved from jet..

George,
     Yes, I cannot recall seeing another like it in jet.

Dear Giovanni,
     As you suggest, we must assume it to be a Chinese fruit or vegetable unknown in the West.

Tom
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rpfstoneman
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« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2014, 10:14:41 pm »

All,

I believe that Giovanni is correct.  It is aubergine.  These can come in a variety of shapes and form, and it appears there is a pointed fruit form.

Charll


* 800px-Lambay_Baingan_(Aubergine).JPG (56.86 KB, 800x600 - viewed 20 times.)
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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 #8 on: June 26, 2014, 01:49:15 am »

Guys,
   I've been in Israel the last four days dealing with stuff and a family wedding, or I'd have used my brain earlier!  Cheesy
  Yes, this is definitely imitating a type of aubergine/eggplant, which is small, and used in the Middle East as a stuffed vegetable.
   We stuff these, or, thick carrots, potatoes, and onions, by coring and hollowing them out, filling with a mixture of rice, ground lamb, some of the flesh of the hollowed out vegetable, pine nuts, etc., and braising in a soup or sauce. As well, this is done with  sweet peppers, young tender vine leaves, and cabbage leaves.
    Seeing Charll's illustration of the real ones clicked in my (overtired from burning the candle at both ends  Grin) mind.
best,
Joey
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

PeterH
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« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2014, 05:54:19 am »

Thanks to Giovanni, Tom, George, Charll and Joey for the valuable information. Joeys information on current usage of eggplant in historic cusine is fascinating. In order to contribute something myself I have found that the symbolic meaning if eggplant to Chinese people is a happy smile and laughter. Egg plant in Chinese is "qie zi" which sounds similar to making a big smile. While we in English speaking countries say "say cheese" when about to take a family photo Chinese would say "qie zi" .
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« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2014, 08:38:35 pm »

Peter,
   Thanks for the 'Sino-gastronomic' information. I never new that!

Tom
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Collecting since 1971

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