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March 29, 2024, 04:47:10 am
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Another Hornbill Bottle

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Author Topic: Another Hornbill Bottle  (Read 1109 times)
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« on: January 29, 2017, 03:33:26 pm »

Hello everyone. This hornbill bottle is a little shy of 2 inches tall and is 1 1/2 inches wide. i find the subject matter to be charming, and it feels wonderful in the hand.
Toni-Lee


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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2017, 07:01:46 am »

Dear Toni-Lee,

      Now I'm in a quandary. This bottle confuses me.
It is NOT from the 'classical period' of Hornbills, ie., ca.1780-1850.
I'm not sure if it is ca. 1880-1950, and thus still a genuine SB; or a post 1960 bottle, made to capitalise on the Lilla Perry book's  chapter on Hornbills.
But it looks very well done, and could very possibly be from ca.1880-1950.

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

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« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2017, 12:22:32 pm »

Hi Joey,

Thank you for your comments.  I feel that the workmanship is certainly better than recent "new" bottles I have seen. It is a bottle that I acquired in 1979 at auction. As I like unusual materials, I am fond of it. Thank you again.

Toni-Lee
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Toni-Lee

albert
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« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2017, 06:08:42 pm »

Hi NE collector,

I don't know nothing of this material, in fact one year ago I don't know that this material exist, but now I'm impresed whit it.

Thanks for share!!
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joearp
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« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2017, 07:51:25 pm »

Beautiful bottle and I admire the workmanship.  You are very lucky to have found this gem.  Thanks for sharing with us.  Jo
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« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2017, 01:49:02 am »

Dear Toni-Lee,

     The more I look at it, the more I want to date it to ca. 1910-1940, ie., Republic of China.
I don't know why.
I could be wrong, G-D Knows (check the coral bottle posted by Albert! I was POSITIVE it could NOT be coral).  Roll Eyes Wink
Best,
Joey

   
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« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2017, 05:38:08 am »

Dear Joey,

Thank you for your thoughts. While the approximate age appears to remain a mystery, the bottle it's self appears a good quality. The one thing that I have observed in my sporadic collecting through the years, types (material) of bottles seem to fall in and out of favor.  It can be very confusing. For one reason or other, I find that a bottle purchased for what seems to be a good price at one time has drastically changed(not for the better) in a span of five or ten years. Hornbill has me really scratching my head. I can only say that I always try to buy with my heart and look for the best quality I can find. I really appreciate your comments on this bottle. Your information is appreciated.

Toni-Lee
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« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2017, 03:24:20 pm »

Dear Toni-Lee,

     Let me try to explain about Hornbills. The material was considered rare but bottles could be found. There was the 'classical' period, as I call it, ca.1760-1860. Then there was the second period, ca.1860-1940. Not as good quality, but still quite good.

    In 1960, Lilla Perry's book came out, with a whole chapter on Hornbill Ivory SBs. All of a sudden, it was open hunting season on this rare bird, to get the casque to produce snuff bottles. 10s of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of birds were slaughtered for their 'ivory' casque. The bird is now in danger of extinction.

   If it were in aid of beauty, possibly. But most of the bottles made were total garbage.
But a Hornbill from the classical period, if documented to be in the USA, can still go for US$40k-50K.
Best,
Joey
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« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2017, 03:39:51 pm »

Hi Joey,

Thank you for alll the information. I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to write such a lengthy explanation. I doubt if I will find another quality hornbill bottle, but I can only hope. I do love the material...

Toni-Lee
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Toni-Lee

Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2017, 06:52:19 am »

Dear Toni-Lee,
 
     Just don't buy any post-1960 bottles.
- Look at the patina.
- Look at the shape - it should be a very simple standard SB shape suited to the material, which would function well as an object removed from and returned to, a small cloth pouch.
 If it's very ornately carved with lots of bits sticking out - modern crap
- Provenance is good.
Best,
Joey


Hi Joey,

Thank you for alll the information. I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to write such a lengthy explanation. I doubt if I will find another quality hornbill bottle, but I can only hope. I do love the material...

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

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