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March 28, 2024, 06:43:16 pm
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Double Gourd Gold Snuff Bottle

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Author Topic: Double Gourd Gold Snuff Bottle  (Read 913 times)
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marcos
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« on: March 14, 2016, 03:25:32 pm »

Dear All,

Would you please share your opinion on this double-gourd gold snuff bottle I was offered?

That Qianlong mark looks quite spurious to me. Is it fair to say it is modern and not worth much more than its weight in gold?

It measures 6 cm with the stopper.

Thanks again for your help.

http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01622_zpsx3lomgcg.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01620_zpsxjothihx.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01619_zpswo4dp8bt.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01618_zpsw4amuprh.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01617_zpstdnj7eyl.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01615_zpsc7egqeuw.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01614_zpsqjqc5imq.jpg
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01613_zpstrxnguiw.jpg
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Fiveroosters aka clayandbrush
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« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2016, 04:51:08 pm »

Dear Marcos,
by the pictures it looks more brass than gold. Are you sure it is gold?
Giovanni
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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2016, 04:53:13 pm »

Dear Marcos,
 
       Yes, I would agree, if it is indeed gold. But it looks quite nice as a modern bottle. And it is functional as a snuff bottle. What is the gold content?
     
        Ca. 1910-1945, the grandfather of a friend of mine made many solid gold snuff bottles and vases imitating Cinnabar Lacquer, with the mark Jin Hng Co. (their company name). These were covered in a thin coat of actual cinnabar lacquer, and set up as a symbol of blessing (red is the color of blessing in Chinese culture), and primarily as a way for the purchasers to hide their wealth in plain sight.

       I understand that the displays were set up in front of a big window, so there was no need to move them. If they'd been set up in front of a wall, they might have been moved to check if the wall held a hidden niche with valuables. But in front of a large window, it was obvious they were not 'hiding' anything. Of course, if the thugs sent by a Warlord had tried to move the lacquer ware, the trick would have been unmasked. But there was a great superstition that if you 'damaged' the positive energy from the red display, you would get a lot of bad energy on you. So the displays were not touched.

     My friend still has a box of 10 bottles, all with matching stoppers and stands. They are all of 22K gold.

     In one of the last Bloch sales, a bottle by my friend's grandfather in 22K gold was dated between 1780 and 1920! It went for a lot more than the gold bullion value.
Best,
Joey
« Last Edit: March 14, 2016, 04:56:16 pm by Joey » Report Spam   Logged

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

YT
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« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2016, 12:14:58 am »

Dear Joey,

Very interesting thread.

Which one are you referring to?
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/snuff-bottles-hk0519/lot.1011.html
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21033/lot/8160/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22411/lot/7142/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19263/lot/75/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18592/lot/108/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18456/lot/2/

Cheers,
YT
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Wattana
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« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2016, 12:59:19 am »

Dear YT,

I believe it's the second from last on your list - auction 18592 / lot 108.
While others on the list are by Jin Hing Co. this is the only one that could easily pass as a cinnabar lacquer from its shape.

All Best,
Tom
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YT
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« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2016, 01:31:49 am »

Dear Tom,

If you are correct then that bottle is modern!! Shocked

Jin[?]xing are also read as Jin Hing.

Cheers,
YT
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« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2016, 01:42:13 am »

Dear YT,

Exactly the point Joey was making!!
The catalogue dated it to 1780-1900, whereas all the Jin Hing bottles are from the 1920s or 30s.

Regards,
Tom
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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2016, 03:15:02 am »

Dear YT,

       Tom is correct, the second last. I don't think that all are by Jin Hing & Co.; certainly the plated examples are not. And the last bottle on the list is not. The Hartman 'fist bottle' example is by Jin Hing.
       I will ask my friend to bring the box of Jin Hing gold bottles with matching stoppers and stands to the 2016 ICSBS convention to show to whomever is in LA in early November.
       Best,
Joey
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George
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« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2016, 06:31:18 pm »

Marcos..

You can take your jpg images and surround them with this code so the pics will actually show up on your posts..

Code:

[img]http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u365/marcosrvisconti/DSC01622_zpsx3lomgcg.jpg[/img]


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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2016, 07:03:58 pm »

But that pic looks much too big.
Joey
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« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2016, 07:39:43 pm »

Yes, it really is to large..

Marcos, if you can maybe edit and crop pics like this down before uploading them to your Photobucket , that would be best..
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marcos
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« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2016, 10:31:40 pm »

Dear George,

Thanks for the tip. I will edit the photos before uploading them and use the code to embed them in the post.

Dear Joey,

Thanks for the links and the amazing story. I suppose covering pure gold snuff bottles with cinabar lacqueur is also a great way to move valuables around, especially during turbulent times.

It is indeed 22k gold.

I wonder what this archaic characters represent.

Regards,

Marcos
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« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2016, 12:56:11 am »

I will look through a book I have, but not sure it is Archiac..  Without looking into the book, if it is Archiac, then I recognize the first image as "man".

By the way... One beautiful bottle !
« Last Edit: March 16, 2016, 12:57:52 am by George » Report Spam   Logged

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Steven
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« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2016, 01:40:11 am »

The two characters are 大吉 Good fortune..
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marcos
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« Reply #14 on: March 16, 2016, 06:29:53 am »

Now it makes sense. Thanks a lot Steven.
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