Everyone here really appreciates you and your sharing of knowledge with us very much Richard!

A most deserving and appropriate title.  Richard you are a blessing to all of us and we have learned so much from you. Your willingness to share has opened our eyes to so much. 

George, that is a title that Richard most justly deserves.....John

Thank you for your kind words, Giovanni!

Regards.


Richard

Well done George! Richard really deserves it
Giovanni

Dear Richard,
Thank you very much. I had the name of this motif from a Chinese friend from Gotheborg.
It is interesting to know that it was especially popular at the beginning of Qing dynasty for the reasons that you have explained, thank you.
In the description of the bottle, I said that I have the same motif on the ginger jar QBW113, which is of the Kangxi period. I will update the description of that jar with what you said here.
Here is the link for that jar. It is very interesting, in my opinion, a boy painted there, who is playing with a horse toy, which could be seen even today in some places.
https://www.xipangu.co.uk/mangialupo/?product=qbw13-a-whish-for-many-children-jar-kangxi-qing-dynasty
Kind regards
Giovanni

Hi John

I am afraid I am unable to figure this one out at the moment.

Will keep you posted with any new findings.

Regards.


Richard

Hi Giovanni & all

An interesting find.

I agreed with the rest that there should be a cover to the box as the intention is to protect the object. Without the cover, it is incomplete.

The subject of this bottle was very popular during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It is named Four concubines and sixteen children (四妃十六子) and can be found in paintings, porcelain, and other works of art.

The motif was actually propaganda by the Qing court to encourage more children. In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, wars reduced the country's population sharply. From the end of Shunzhi to the Kangxi period, especially since the mid-Kangxi period, the large-scale wars in the territory ended, the society tended to be stable, and all industries were waiting to be flourished. So the demand for population appreciation gradually received attention. In the agricultural age, the population was wealth. Manpower was required to work on the farms. Therefore, more children in the family, especially boys, will be a valuable asset.

On a larger scale, the four concubines signify the four virtues, and the sixteen children represent loyal subjects. Therefore, the motif wishes the country's peace and prosperity.

For your reference.

Regards.


Richard

Dear George

Thank you for conferring the title of "Forum Themes and Scenes Specialist" to my member's profile. I feel much honoured.

I discovered that many times, collectors from the West are at a disadvantage because they are unable to read the Chinese language or fully understand the culture and background history often featured on the snuff bottles.

Their information on the subject is mostly copied from another source, which often can be inaccurate. Sometimes, the meaning was misinterpreted or mistaken, which is inevitable.

Being Chinese myself, my intention is to share knowledge of my history and culture. Hopefully, this will bring us closer to the source and have a better understanding of the subject. And resulting in a more rewarding enjoyment with our collection.

Being a huge fan of Chinese history and literature, I always look forward to solving a puzzle about the subject or background information. It is also a learning process for me as I discovered more information along the way that helps me to enrich my own experience as well.

As the footnote states in my post, I aim to "Evaluate • Educate • Entertain". I often felt that knowledge is of no use if not shared.

Once again, thank you all for your support.

Happy collecting!

Best regards.


Richard

Dear Tom, absolutely interesting!
Even more detailed than the porcelain ones. Thank you for posting them, very nice and interesting.
Kind regards
Giovanni