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Is this really coral

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Author Topic: Is this really coral  (Read 1550 times)
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ileney
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« on: November 21, 2017, 08:38:07 pm »

I fear my bottles often make people wince because they are so hideous and this one is no exception. My parent's neighbor had a tag/moving sale. They didn't get to it until the second day (the neighbor's collected touristy stuff and much of the "good" touristy stuff, if there is such a thing, was bought the first day). However, my parents, who knew I am too busy to shop much in stores but need to decorate my condo and like Asian art, bought just about everything else their neighbor had left, including this snuff, and are slowly shipping things to me. This snuff has me puzzled. It appears to be coral, but it is very large and heavy and cold, almost like one would expect from stone or glass. I am sure it must be dyed. It does have growth rings and pits like real coral, but again it is really cold, heavy and shiny/hard. Any thoughts on how this was made and if it really is dyed coral altered in some way or some other material? It's also quite large. Pictures below. Thank you very much for any information you can provide.

Note: in looking through some of the posts I had missed, I came upon one where a bottle made of “bamboo coral” was discussed and debated. I suspect that is what this material is, though I am still very unclear as to exactly what the composition of such “coral” could be that would make it so cold to the touch, like agate.


* IMG_8147.JPG (112.07 KB, 640x480 - viewed 50 times.)

* IMG_8149.JPG (88.75 KB, 640x480 - viewed 39 times.)

* IMG_8151.JPG (105.36 KB, 640x480 - viewed 42 times.)

* IMG_8155.JPG (96.41 KB, 640x480 - viewed 33 times.)
« Last Edit: November 21, 2017, 11:47:01 pm by ileney » Report Spam   Logged

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Luke
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« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2017, 02:23:32 am »

Hi Ileney,

I'm not sure exactly what kind of coral it is, but I think it is coral of a low grade variety and dyed to get that vibrant red. Sounds very interesting your parents buying up your neighbours stuff - hope there is something in there really interesting!

Best
Luke
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 02:25:10 am by pookles » Report Spam   Logged

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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2017, 05:23:01 am »

Dear Ilene,

     Please give us a height in mm, cm, or inches. "Large" doesn't tell me anything ['as large as a breadbox'?]. I think it could well be stained coral or  glass imitating coral is also a possibility.
Best,
Joey
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Joey Silver (Si Zhouyi 義周司), collecting snuff bottles since Feb.1970

ileney
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« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2017, 08:50:27 am »

Apologies! It is 3 and 5/8” tall with the top or just under 3” without it, 1.75” wide in one dimension and 1 and 5/8” wide in the other on the base. It is also surprisingly heavy and cold  for coral. Perhaps it’s dead deep sea coral that has been dyed / stabilized with the equivalent of car windshield crack repair epoxy. It really feels like glass or quartz, but doesn’t look like it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 01:24:41 pm »

Dear Ilene,

     Just under 3 inches w/o stopper is not that large.
The material still confuses me. It certainly looks like coral.
Best,
Joey
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ileney
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« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 01:42:15 pm »

Thank you again for the information. I know it seems like a normal size when I measure it, but it feels much heavier and wider than real coral should, if that makes any sense.
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Joey Silver / Si Zhouyi 義周司
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« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2017, 03:06:50 pm »

Dear Ilene,

     I do understand.  It feels 'wrong' somehow.
     It is like the two real estate agents in my home today. I have 3 rooms, one on top of the other, and all the same width (9 ft.). But they were trying to convince me that the one that is a bedroom is less, while the other two, the kitchen and my study, are more.

     Best,
Joey
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Wattana
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« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2017, 09:55:27 pm »


     It is like the two real estate agents in my home today. I have 3 rooms, one on top of the other, and all the same width (9 ft.). But they were trying to convince me that the one that is a bedroom is less, while the other two, the kitchen and my study, are more.


Dear Joey,

LOL - that sums up real estate agents very well.....!!!   Grin

Best,
Tom
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ileney
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« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2017, 11:13:29 pm »

That’s hilarious. Are you moving?
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« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2017, 03:28:02 am »

Dear Ileney,

The ' coral ' bottle your posted could well be of coral material and dyed.
One of my bottles is of coral material but not dyed as yours ( posted here for sharing ). I originally meant to post it on our thread on Friday Fun Bottle. My bottle is closed to 6cm without the stopper. And, it is a bit weighty too.

Regards,
Inn Bok
Singapore ( rainy and wet now )
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OIB
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« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2017, 03:31:51 am »

Sorry for pressing the ' reply ' button too fast.

Here's the attachments .

Inn Bok


* 319.JPG (128.53 KB, 478x640 - viewed 30 times.)

* 320.JPG (125.3 KB, 478x640 - viewed 30 times.)

* 322.JPG (117.43 KB, 478x640 - viewed 31 times.)

* 324.JPG (111.44 KB, 478x640 - viewed 25 times.)
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ileney
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« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2017, 09:10:34 am »

Yes, this looks like the same material to me.
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albert
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« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2017, 06:39:23 am »

Hi,
I'm completely sure that both bottles shared above are made in dyed bamboo coral. This coral is named bamboo coral due their growing way, like a bamboo stick. Both have a different dye grade, but are the same coral specie.

if I find some pieces of different types of coral at home I will show you
Any way, Thanks for share them, I like these kind of snuff bottles.

Sincerely,
Albert.
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ileney
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« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2017, 07:35:41 am »

Thanks Albert.
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OIB
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« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2017, 10:39:18 pm »

Thank you, Albert.
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Wattana
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« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2017, 11:37:04 pm »

Hi Albert,

I think you have got it. From what I have observed, some coral varieties are very porous and therefore light in weight, while others are dense and heavy. Bamboo coral seems to fit the latter group.

Tom
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Steven
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« Reply #16 on: November 27, 2017, 05:19:36 pm »

I am with Albert, the ,material look like the dyed bamboo coral.

Steven
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albert
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« Reply #17 on: December 03, 2017, 06:32:41 am »

Hi,

Isn't easy to take pictures of these items, but I think that you can see the difference among bamboo coral and original red coral. The main difference is obviously, the penetration of the color, the second is the separation between the growing lines, another interesting difference is the tone of the red color.


* IMG_9615.JPG (1335.61 KB, 3648x2736 - viewed 33 times.)
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albert
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« Reply #18 on: December 03, 2017, 06:34:05 am »

more pictures


* IMG_9612.JPG (1424.53 KB, 3648x2736 - viewed 35 times.)
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albert
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« Reply #19 on: December 03, 2017, 06:34:53 am »

more...


* IMG_9613.JPG (1153.44 KB, 3648x2736 - viewed 28 times.)
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