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March 28, 2024, 03:21:37 am
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Newbie needs help identifying snuff bottles

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Sally72
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« on: July 28, 2014, 12:57:18 am »

I am a new collector of snuff bottles and recently purchased 20+ at estate auction.  I have been trying to research the ones I have, yet it is overwhelming and confusing!!!  
Please help in identifying these and any info on age, origin, artist, worth, etc., is greatly appreciated! Thank you!!!



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* GEDC0006.JPG (24.33 KB, 448x336 - viewed 30 times.)

* GEDC0005.JPG (21.62 KB, 448x336 - viewed 15 times.)

* GEDC0008.JPG (20.1 KB, 448x336 - viewed 17 times.)
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Wattana
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« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2014, 01:32:32 am »

Hi Sally,

First of all, WELCOME to the forum !!!  You have definitely found the best (in fact the ONLY) place on the internet to discuss snuff bottles. We are a mixed bag of members, ranging from newbies like yourself to old-time collectors, and we are spread out geographically around the world. We all share one passion - snuff bottles!

Thank you for sharing your bottle images. It's always tricky to make definitive comments from photos, but here goes...

Starting at left, the first bottle appears to be an inside painted (IP) glass example, with overlay glass of crimson colour. I cannot make out the painting, but the writing appears to include some Roman script. I would assume it was made specifically for a Western market, or perhaps commissioned by a Western buyer. Others on this forum have plenty more experience of IP bottles than I, so I'll let them chip in their comments.

The second bottle looks like glass enveloped in a fine wire mesh of fish-scales. Or is the fish-scale effect created with glass? Either way, I can't say I've seen a bottle like this before. In my opinion it is probably not too old.

The third one is a resin bottle imitating cinnabar lacquer. There was a very recent discussion about these bottles on another thread. Follow this link:

 http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,2218.msg28111.html#msg28111

The base mark (which is upside down in your picture) reads "made in the Qianlong period", which of course it wasn't. These imitation bottles flooded the market in the 1960s, and almost every collector in the world has bought one or more during their early collecting years, believing them to be old (I have 3 knocking around in a drawer!). I'm afraid it's part of the learning curve.  Wink

Don't be discouraged. Collecting snuff bottles is a fascinating hobby. There is something for every pocket. Just don't spend serious amounts of money until you gain knowledge and experience. Luckily, there are plenty of books around nowadays, packed with useful information.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2014, 01:40:55 am by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2014, 04:41:19 am »

Welcome Sally !

Can not add anything more to Tom's comments about your bottles...

It can be a bit overwhelming for sure...

Hang in there !
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« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2014, 05:47:01 am »

Dear Sally,
    The second one is a bottle made by overlaying silver wire on a copper body, filling in the cloisons (cells) made by the design of the wire with glass, firing so the glass fuses, and then using acid to remove the copper body, leaving the bottle of silver wire and glass. A base is soldered to the bottom rim, and you've a snuff bottle. I think it is modern and may be Japanese.
Joey
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Sally72
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« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2014, 09:01:23 am »

Thank you all for the valuable input!  I will be posting more soon, since I bought over 20 at a local auction...
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« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 04:28:59 pm »

I'm sorry for my previous comment.
   I have Asperger's, and your 'poll' was frustrating, to say the least. As well, I'm Israeli, and we are under multiple attacks at the moment: missiles and terrorists from Gaza, from Lebanon, and the West's Media. And I'm not even in Israel (I have a summer place in Ireland) so I'm feeling even more threatened than if I was home. But that is still no excuse.
 My sincere apologies.
Could I ask a favour? Please delete the 'poll'; I tried to do it again, and again it didn't work! I thought that once I tapped on the first 'button' I would be directed to the questions on that subject. Then, I would tap on button #2 etc.
Joey
« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 05:57:13 am by Joey » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2014, 01:10:42 am »

Welcome on board, Sally !

Tom has touched on the three bottle you posted. I would just add that the bottle on the left has an inside painted picture of a portion of an ancient Chinese painting ( a famous one, in fact ). Its title as depicted in the bottle is 清明上河图  -  a painting highlighting the busy activities along a river during the Spring Festival ( the western equivalent of All Souls Day ). In this painting, the focal point is usually the crowed bridge.

Hope that your collecting journey will be a fruitful one.

regards,

Inn Bok
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« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2014, 01:49:20 am »

Inn Bok,

Is that the QingMing Festival you are referring to?
Your eyesight must be a lot better than mine!   Smiley
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« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2014, 06:00:49 am »

Dear Tom,
    Didn't you see the bridge and the shops? And the big roof at the bottom righthand side? Yes, it was a very crude version of the superb one posted here by Giovanni (Thanks, Tom[see below]; and I have one that is quite good as well, but not as fine as that posted. Mine is A-20 in "Worlds").
Joey


Inn Bok,

Is that the QingMing Festival you are referring to?
Your eyesight must be a lot better than mine!   Smiley
« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 06:22:04 am by Joey » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2014, 06:15:18 am »

Joey,
    At the size the image appears on my computer, I STILL can't see the bridge! Maybe I need to visit my optician.
    BTW, it was Giovanni's bottle which had a superb QingMing scene painted inside it. 

Tom
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« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2014, 06:25:51 am »

Dear Tom,
    At first, I thought it might be a dragon! Then I noticed the big roof at the bottom righthand (right foreground?), and thought to compare with my Qingming Festival bottle. The corner of the painting had 'pushed a button' in my brain.  Cheesy
Joey


Joey,
    At the size the image appears on my computer, I STILL can't see the bridge! Maybe I need to visit my optician.
    BTW, it was Giovanni's bottle which had a superb QingMing scene painted inside it. 

Tom
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« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2014, 02:51:58 pm »

Can someone repeat the reference to Giovanni's Qing Ming bottle please.
I can't see it here.

Qing Ming bottles are a favourite of mine, I have a few but not as good quality as I would like.

Geoff
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« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2014, 03:15:18 pm »

Dear Geoff,
this is the thread with my bottle.
Kind regards
Giovanni
http://snuffbottle.smfforfree.com/index.php/topic,1154.0.html
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« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2014, 08:55:58 pm »

Giovanni,

Yours is still one of the best QingMing bottles I have seen. If you ever want to part with it, just let me know...  Wink

Regards,
Tom
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« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2014, 01:19:28 am »

Yes, I agree. I have three different bottle sets on this theme, but none of them quite meet Giovanni's quality.

One is a single bottle of the bridge, then a set of four and finally a set of ten depicting the whole scroll. This last set was commission painted when these things were much cheaper, and is the best. When I get time I will take some photos to display. At the moment I'm totally occupied writing the 2013 Hong Kong Bird Report.

Geoff
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« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2014, 03:06:47 am »

Tom,

Before you go for your eyesight enhancement, here is an enlarged version of the Qingming Festival  - from a stone carving i saw during one of my business trips to Hunan Province in Central China.  Grin Grin

Inn Bok


* IMG_1497.JPG (216.52 KB, 1024x768 - viewed 17 times.)

* IMG_1499.JPG (269.07 KB, 1024x768 - viewed 16 times.)
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« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2014, 03:19:12 am »

Inn Bok,

Forget the visit to the optician - this is a feast for the eyes. Where is it located? I want to steal it....   Cool

Tom
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« Reply #17 on: July 30, 2014, 03:40:19 am »

Tom,

Good luck to you ! It is in a restaurant where I happened to have lunch.

You need to engage the " A-team " to help you. I could not remember if I had lunch or not because the piece is just too beautiful to behold and study !

Here it is, the full view.

Inn Bok


* IMG_1501.JPG (222.63 KB, 1024x768 - viewed 20 times.)
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« Reply #18 on: July 30, 2014, 04:21:04 am »

Thanks Inn Bok. I guess any lunch will take second place to this.   Roll Eyes

Tom
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« Reply #19 on: July 30, 2014, 04:38:20 am »

Hi Tom

Besides your 'A' team, make sure you have a forklift with you. This thing weighs a ton!  Grin

Regards.


Richard

Inn Bok,

Forget the visit to the optician - this is a feast for the eyes. Where is it located? I want to steal it....   Cool

Tom
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