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Simply Fell In Love With This Carved Metal Bottle !

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Author Topic: Simply Fell In Love With This Carved Metal Bottle !  (Read 837 times)
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George
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« on: June 12, 2012, 06:56:38 pm »

I know nothing about values as metal bottles go, but simply fell in love with this one and was lucky enough to win it tonight ..

Although described as copper, I am pretty sure it is some other metal.. Nickel ? Not sure just yet, and 3" tall..

I was taken by the detailed carving through out this bottle..  There was obviously a lot of time put into it.. The bottle stikes me as one that could actually have been used.. To my eye, it appears to have some natural wear.

Will have to find a nice matching stopper for it, but I can see using this for my own personal snuff use/storage.

I can't make out the charactors on the base well enough to match up a period to..  If in fact it is even a reign mark ..

Any help with that would be greatly appreciated !





« Last Edit: June 12, 2012, 07:25:31 pm by Bottle Guy » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2012, 08:29:34 pm »


George,
 
It looks like a Xuande (1426-1435) reign mark to me.   

The Xuande mark is said to have been written by the famous calligrapher Shendu, since the official mark of Xuande is following his hand writing.

Charll
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« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2012, 09:31:46 pm »

Ok.. Got it..

Now I can see the four charactors on the bottle out of this six charactor Xuande reign mark..



Looks like you nailed it, and thank you very much Charll !

We know that all sorts of reign marks are painted, stamped and etched into all sorts of much newer items than they really are..  Is there any chance that this metal bottle could actually be from the Ming Dynasty ?  I am not familiar with what carvers may or may not have been doing with metals at that time.. Especially carving at a time when there was no electricity.  I can't wait to actually get this in my hands as am especially interested to see if those dragons on the shoulders are an original carved part of the body from the original chunk of metal.. Or if metal was blobbed onto the shoulders and then the dragons carved ..

Not like I have any knowledge of carved metal bottles, but can say have never seen one quite like this before..  Besides loving the carved panels, and etching around the panels and top of bottle, the shape of the bottle is really nice too. Especially like the side view showing a slight tapering from top to bottom..  Just a lovely shape.. 

I think it is safe to say that the reign mark is carved as well..

This bottle really fascinates me.. Truly drawn to it... 

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« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2012, 11:21:17 pm »

Hm.. very special and unusual, to me at least!  Good eye, George!
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« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2012, 03:09:21 pm »

Thanks Pat !
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« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2012, 04:24:59 pm »

hey, how unusual! can you see any traces of it having been gilded? how easily does that brownish patina come off? are those brush marks on the base or scratches?
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« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2012, 04:39:58 pm »

hey, how unusual! can you see any traces of it having been gilded? how easily does that brownish patina come off? are those brush marks on the base or scratches?

This is on the way to me .. Will get a nice close up examination once it arrives !

Can't wait  Smiley
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« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2012, 07:46:43 pm »

George,
   It looks very nice. But not really  Xuande. There are lots of 18th & 19th C. bronzes with Xuande marks. It does look like it's got age to it, though. I would say possibly 1870-1950. Which is 'snuff bottle collectorese' for, "It could be old, but might not be old enough to be a genuine antique".
  Joey
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« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2012, 08:55:40 pm »

Thanks Joey...

Sounds good to me !
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« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2012, 06:42:13 pm »

George:

I suggest that the bottle is paktong which is a white metal used to make snuff bottles in the nineteenth century.  Good buy!
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« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2012, 07:10:47 pm »

George:

I suggest that the bottle is paktong which is a white metal used to make snuff bottles in the nineteenth century.  Good buy!

Now that is some great information Ted !

I am finding Google references to the 18th century as compared to the 19th.. Talking about it being a European import from China at that time..

Very interesting indeed Ted  Smiley

Thank you... !
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« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2012, 02:47:22 pm »

George:

I suggest that the bottle is paktong which is a white metal used to make snuff bottles in the nineteenth century.  Good buy!

I am not sure what one would expect as quality of carving goes for a paktong piece..

Also.. This was packed with something !  No idea what, and it is not any kind of snuff or medicinal herbs..

My girlfriend says it reminds her of human ashes  Shocked 

Also, the seller said 3" tall, but in fact it is a full 4" ..

Apparently a classic image of split tail Fu Dogs with lingzhi fungus in their mouths. Pretty sure that is what the entire background is.. Lingzhi fungus..





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« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2012, 07:31:17 pm »

Well, THAT could be called an 'ash bottle' ... lol.  All joking aside.  It is a cool bottle, regardless.  Not sure how to identify the contents.   Roll Eyes
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« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2012, 11:02:13 pm »

George, an interesting bottle with interesting contents. Google might talk about paktong in the 18th C., but it has been in production continuously and is still being made today. Think 'Chinese pewter'.
  I would get the 'contents' analysed. If they are human remains, and they could be, bury them or hand them in to the authorities.  They look like cremated remains of something or someone, but who knows? A bit creepy. ;-(
Joey
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