Hello forum!

[valentina]

Hello forum!

My name is Valentina. I have no idea about snuff bottles. In the last weeks, I tried to learn about, but the subject is overwhelming for me. So, I need some help. I attached some pictures of my snuff bottle and my questions are:
Based on the signature, can we discover the story behind this bottle such where and when was made?
The bottle has some chips so deserves this bottle some restoration or it will cost me to restore it more than the bottle’s value? And, if the answer is “yes”, where can be made the restoration?
Any idea about the value of the bottle? On eBay it is a very similar one listed as “Antique Chinese Qing Qianlong MK Famille Rose 18 Immortal Porcelain Snuff Bottle”, but the signature is different.

PS: English in not my first language…

[YT]

Dear Valentina,

Thanks for looking up and providing your take on the bottle. I would like to give my 2 cents worth too.

Base on this kind of porcelain bottles, usually they are JiaQing to republic and not in Qian Long period.
The mark is an emperor mark except the first character is wrongly written.

Value wise, any experts here are more knowledgeable than me.

Cheers,
YT

[Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush]

Dear Valentina,
welcome to the forum. You said that English is not your first language. Are you perhaps Italian, as it seems by your name? I am from Italy, I live in Piacenza.
By your post it seems that this is your first snuff bottle. So please apologize if I am addressing to you as a beginner.
Your first question, “Based on the signature, …..”: never date a Chinese piece according to the mark only. Although extremely important if the piece is really of the period, the mark is the last thing too look at in dating a piece. First comes the style, the way of construction, etc. Your bottle bears the mark of the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), but it is much later. The picture is not so clear but I think that it should be dated to early 20th century.
About restoration, contact a common restorer of ceramics, there are almost everywhere, he should ask you 5 or 10 euro for that chip.
About the value, sorry to say that your bottle is of low quality, I myself would not pay more than 50 euro if I were interested (but I am not). You may find someone who can pay you more, it can happen. Anyway, don’t use ebay as a key for evaluating the value of a piece. You can find your same bottle there for 50 euro or for 5,000 too, it is a crazy place, full of dishonest or at best ignorant people. If the bottle that you have seen has the same colors of your one, it is not correct to call it “famille rose”, as an example.
Kind regards
Giovanni

[Steven]

Welcome to the Forum Valentina,

I agree every words Giovanni said about your bottle.

[valentina]

Thank you for the answers to all of you!

If am I a beginner…maybe is too much to say this. I am an outsider!
Yes! This is my first snuff bottle and I can say that a month ago I had no idea about snuff bottles. I spent some time reading the posts on this website and I am amazed about snuff bottles and snuff people…and to be honest…I don’t know witch are more interesting.
About my bottle, I paid more than two cents on it but no more than one dollar. So after all, I am not disappointed because this was the start point in my learning adventure.
Thank you Govanni for your post. It covers all my questions. It was honest and friendly and I appreciated this. (For a beginner any sarcasm is paintfull and will shut off any communication door.)   
About myself, I am Romanian. A Romanian living in Sacramento, CA. My name is not Romanian but I was born on Valentines day. I love old Chinese vases, old rugs, and old perfume bottles. About snuff bottles….I will see…I think I have a lot to learn first and after I have to afford them. Probably I deserve a second “First bottle” in the future.
Anyway, I will be around not cheating too much because, as I said I have some issues speaking English, but I will be around observing the seniors.

Thank you again to all in special for such amazing website.

Valentina

[George]

Hello and welcome aboard Valentina !

[Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司]

Welcome from me as well, Valentina.
Shabbat Shalom,
   Joey

[Peter Bentley 彭达理]

Hi Valentina

Welcome to the   Forum

I  live  in Hong Kong and  collect  modern  inside -painted    bottles

Cheers

Peter

[Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush]

Dear Valentina,
well, for one dollar I would have bought it too
If you like old Chinese ceramics I suggest you the forum named Gotheborg.com, I am member there too because I love Chinese ceramics.
Kind regards
Giovanni

[Wattana]

Hi Valentina,

I only just saw your post, as I was traveling when you wrote it. A warm welcome from me too. I think Giovanni has covered everything there is to say about your first bottle.

Happy hunting!

Tom
(Bangkok)