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Group or family shots

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Wattana
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« on: September 02, 2016, 12:50:11 am »

Hi All,

Since YT has taken a break from his 'carved nephrite' posts we appear to be overwhelmed by inside painted threads again.   Wink

So, for a little light relief I'm starting a new one for posting group shots of bottles in our collections. No fancy Photoshop pics please - just simply assembled groupings done the old-fashioned way.

I was going to place this post in the 'Gem, stone, rock and fossil' section, because that is where my first post fits. But I want to encourage other forum members to post their own group shots, and don't wish to restrict the types of bottles to one category, so thought The Lounge was more appropriate.

For the first post I am posting a group of one of my favourite types, ink-play chalcedony. Back in the 1960s these were referred to as 'patch agates', then through the 70s and 80s they became better known as shadow or silhouette agates. Then someone stated they were not technically agates, but a type of cryptocrystalline quartz silica called chalcedony. Soon afterwards the term 'ink-play' was coined.  So finally, they are 'ink-play chalcedony' bottles.....for the moment, at least.

Some in the following group have been posted individually before, so I will not describe them all in detail, just a summary...

Back row, left to right:

Bottle of flattened rounded form, with a recessed flat base surrounded by a raised footrim, the darker markings on one side edited to depict a bird perched on a branch looking over its shoulder, the reverse side plain save for very minor russet inclusions reminiscent of blowing leaves. Red glass stopper with a turquoise collar.
Height:   6.3 cm
1780-1860
---------------
Bottle of flattened rounded rectangular form, with raised footrim and recessed convex base, cylindrical neck and concave lip, well hollowed; the natural markings lightly edited to reveal the figure of a boy amidst rocks and foliage, chasing a bat, framed by the branches of an overhanging tree. Pink tourmaline stopper set in gilt-silver collar.
Height: 6.4 cm
1780-1880
---------------
Bottle of flattened rounded rectangular form with cylindrical neck, concave lip, and rounded footrim, the darker inclusions lightly edited to create a hawk standing on a rock with one foot raised, head turned towards the sun, a branch nearby.  Jadeite stopper set in a gilt-silver collar.
Height: 5.5 cm
Official School, 1760-1860

Front row, left to right:

Bottle of semi-transparent grey, of well hollowed rounded rectangular form with a cylindrical neck, concave lip and recessed elongated oval foot surrounded by a protruding flat footrim; the natural dark brown markings in the stone edited to create a silhouette design of a diving carp. Mother-of-pearl stopper set in a gilt-silver collar.
Height: 6.0 cm
1780-1850
---------------
Bottle of rounded compressed rectangular form with cylindrical neck, flat lip, a raised oval footrim with a flat recessed base; the natural dark inclusions minimally edited to reveal a bird standing on the ground with another swooping down from above. Tourmaline stopper set in a silver collar.
Height: 5.3 cm
Official School, 1790-1880
---------------
Bottle of well hollowed rounded rectangular form, with raised footrim and recessed convex base, cylindrical neck and concave lip; the natural markings lightly edited to depict a seated monkey reaching out towards a cluster of peaches growing from a branch. Pink tourmaline stopper set in gilt-silver collar.
Height: 5.1 cm
1770-1880
---------------
Bottle of bulbous rounded shape with tapering cylindrical neck, concave lip and flat oval base, one side carved in low relief using the dark inclusions to depict a fan-tailed carp amongst aquatic plants, the bulging eyes picked out by two dark spots; a flowering branch on the reverse. Coral stopper carved with a coiled chilong.
Height: 5.0 cm
1760-1840 
---------------
Enjoy!
 


* 3661 800w.jpg (84.67 KB, 800x600 - viewed 73 times.)
« Last Edit: September 02, 2016, 01:01:46 am by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

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Steven
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« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2016, 01:00:17 am »

What a wonderful big family. Love them all.

Congratulations Tom .

Steven
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Wattana
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« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2016, 01:03:44 am »

Thanks Steven,

I have just renamed the thread - 'family shots' sounds much better!

Tom
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George
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« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2016, 01:15:10 am »

Wow Tom !  Shocked

Outstanding and beautiful family you have there !
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« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2016, 01:20:11 am »

A nice group Tom!
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Richard from sunny Singapore
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« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2016, 01:24:20 am »

A happy family.... Cheesy

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五花馬,千金裘。呼兒將出換美酒,與爾同銷萬古愁。

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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2016, 03:25:38 am »

Dear Tom,
 
     That 'Family shot' is really beautiful. It really is 'old school'.  Grin
Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

Wattana
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« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2016, 03:46:08 am »


     That 'Family shot' is really beautiful. It really is 'old school'.  Grin


Thanks everyone for your comments.

Dear Joey,
Yes, it's Old School all right. In fact Class of '75.
That's when the first one in this group was acquired........41 years ago!  Cheesy

Tom
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Luke
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« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2016, 04:37:55 am »

Nice bottles Tom! First one is my favourite, but look great together...  Tongue
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« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2016, 04:43:33 am »

Dear Tom,

This is a nice group that looks good put together. When you refer to ink play, does it only refer to groups that are minimally carved?

Cheers,
YT
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« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2016, 04:58:53 am »

Dear Tom,
excelelnt group of bottles and nice idea, thank you! I did the same a while ago on Gotheborg, I did name the thread "Gotheborg member's ensemble".
Giovanni
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« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2016, 05:18:12 am »


This is a nice group that looks good put together. When you refer to ink play, does it only refer to groups that are minimally carved?


Dear Giovanni,
    An excellent title - 'ensemble' has musical connotations, so I never thought to use it for a group of bottles!

Dear YT,
    I would call 'ink-play' only those bottles without any surface carving and ones with minimal surface 'editing' as with the examples above. The next level up would include cameo carving, intaglio carving, incised carving, and all others with surface carving which exploit the natural markings, with some of the finest examples being classified as Suzhou style. 

Tom
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« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2016, 08:49:17 am »

Absolutely Stunning Tom! Thanks for sharing! I do not own a single bottle of this type, and they fetch very healthy prices when they do come up for auction! Lovely idea too! I look forward to seeing more families!
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Cathy
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« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2016, 09:31:36 am »

Dear Tom,

     When I collected Agates/Chalcedony bottles, I would not have refused space to any in this display.
Very impressive.
Thank you for posting.
Best,
Shabbat Shalom,
Joey
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« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2016, 10:51:30 pm »

Tom

What a nice display !  Thanks for sharing ... Having seen some or actually all of these in person individually I must say this is more impressive seen together..
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Wattana
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« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2016, 09:54:32 pm »

Thanks for all your comments.

But this thread isn't supposed to be only about my bottles. Let's see some other family groups posted here.  Cool
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« Reply #16 on: September 04, 2016, 11:33:21 pm »

Thanks for all your comments.

But this thread isn't supposed to be only about my bottles. Let's see some other family groups posted here.  Cool
Dear Tom,

It is not easy to gather a group and make them look good. Just take a look at the front cover of JICSBS, how many really stands out?
A group of top class enamels can look cheap(or the fakes will stand out  Tongue) if not place properly.

That's why I appreciated your first post and looking forward to your next.  Grin

Cheers,
YT
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« Reply #17 on: September 05, 2016, 12:17:20 pm »

The realgar bottles would have been a nice family addition here - I would vote that two realgar bottles make a family since they are hard to come by. I am afraid Tom that you raised the bar so high with your post, that it will be quite an act to follow! Wink
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« Reply #18 on: September 05, 2016, 09:11:41 pm »

Dear YT and Cathy,

In order to lower the bar, here is a family comprising a dozen glass bottles. These were found inexpensively at Bangkok flea markets many years ago. Not being particularly attracted to glass snuff bottles I bought these mainly to have fun researching the decorative motifs and their meanings.

Regrettably, all of the bubble-suffused overlay bottles have, without exception, crizzled badly since acquiring them. From discussions elsewhere on this forum it appears other collectors have had similar experiences with their bubble-suffused glass bottles. The cause seems to be poor ingredients used in the manufacturing process, resulting in unstable glass......what one might describe as 'bio-degradable'...!   Grin

The opaque glass ones are still fine.

Tom


* SB glass group01-lo.jpg (140.68 KB, 800x748 - viewed 24 times.)

* SB glass group04-lo.jpg (85.29 KB, 800x600 - viewed 30 times.)
« Last Edit: September 05, 2016, 09:14:11 pm by Wattana » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #19 on: September 05, 2016, 09:39:24 pm »

Hahaha! Thank you for lowering the bar!

While the bottles look very nice, I am most envious of that 12 bottle box you have!

Sorry to hear about the bottles crizzling. I will have to keep an eye out for that on the few that I've acquired.

I want to play this game, and so I took a picture earlier of my family of glass imitation shadow agate bottles, but then I looked at your lovely bottles again and thought, naaaa - not even in the same ballpark!

So now I can post it!


* shadowagates.jpg (10.48 KB, 700x291 - viewed 46 times.)
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