Little ceramic bottle

[marcos]

Dear All,

I haven´t posted anything for a while, so I would like to share with you a small ceramic bottle. It looks quite old and unfortunatelly the stopper is missing.







Kindest Regards,

Marcos

[marcos]

It measures 4.6 cm.

[Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司]

Dear Marcos,

      Good News/ Bad News time.

Good News: It is indeed old; even as early as early 19th C. or possibly even earlier.
Bad news:   It has very little monetary value, having been made cheaply and crudely for the mass Chinese market.

    There are a few nice examples of this type in Hugh Moss Chinese Snuff Bottles #5.
But thank you for posting it. I've not seen this type for a while. They used to be 'cheap as chips!', and just as common,
as they say in the UK.

    I remember once going in to Gray's Market on Davies St. in London, and Douglas Wright had about a dozen of them! This would have been in 1988 or 1989, just before he and Joyce closed their stand and private business, and he went to work for Sydney Moss & Co. on Brook St. next to Claridge's. I believe that they were about UK£35 each at the time...

Best,
Joey

[George]

Cool bottle.. !  Attractive to me as I like some a little rough like this. 

[marcos]

Hi Joey,

Thanks a lot. I didn´t realize it was that old. The bottle is indeed quite crude, especially the sides.

Hi George,

I am happy you liked it.

Regards,

Marcos

[Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司]

Dear Marcos,
 
     One used to be able to buy them on Ladder Street or Cat Street (Upper Lascar Row, Hollywood Road, etc.) in Hong Kong, from the 1950s till the early 1980s. There were woven baskets 60cm across and 15-20cm high on the sidewalk outside shops, on top of rattan stools. These baskets were piled high with bottles like yours, 50 to 100 in a basket! They looked for all the world like baskets at a greengrocer's, piled high with fruit.
You rooted around till you found examples without cracks or other damages, and then paid US$5-10 each . You could also bargain, if you were buying a bunch. In 1980, I bought a dozen for US$50 - I was hosting a dinner party, and put the name cards each in a plastic holder in a bottle. The guests received them as party favours...
Best,
Joey