Featured Chinese Snuff bottle bought at an estate auction

I bought this at auction. Seems to be Jade, carved Tiger. Any information on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

It looks like serpentine to me. The subject of the carving is nice, and appropriate for the year of the tiger.
Unfortunately the shoulders and base are crudely finished.
By contrast the stopper is very nice, I haven't seen that scroll setting before. I wonder if stopper and spoon are gilded.

 

I too thought the stopper much nicer than the bottle.

 

Bowenite, and the stopper looks like a marriage.

 

Determining what the red material is should not be too difficult my first impression is glass but it has a shape similar to stones cut for use in a watch crown, if it’s gilded I’m not seeing any of it worn away where you’d expect to see it. The stopper might just be the find, maybe you’ll need to be on the hunt for a bottle that’s a better match for that stopper.

 

This type of bottle often has a pillbox shaped stopper made from the same stone as the bottle. That or a regular red coral or "candy jade" (dyed jade) stopper with a brass setting and spoon.

Glass cabochons are common on Chinese snuff bottles. This shape cabochon is the most used shape, both in glass and stone.

You would only see that on an antique bottle made for use. This bottle is no older than 20 years, probably more recent, and it was made to be gifted or as decoration.
Even if the stopper is older, there is no telling if it was made for a decorative or collectible bottle or for a bottle for use.

Most snuff bottles were made after collecting became big.
Collecting started in the 18th century during the reign of Qianlong, but it became a worldwide thing in the early 20th century. In those days people collected mostly antique bottles, but after China opened up to the West the large scale manufacture of snuff bottles started. And when Chinese traders discovered ebay, we saw thousands of bottles sold to the West every year, of varying quality.

 

Ed, could you check the shape of the hole? Is it cylindrical, or is it carved out into the "shoulders"?
My guess is cylindrical.

 

Agree, likely made sometime last 10 years or so. Although that glass cabochon and bezel setting/collar would actually make a very nice stopper with a different spoon or even with no spoon and fitted with a new cork.

 

If I came across this bottle for the right price, I would have bought it for the stopper and ditched the bottle.

 

Me too. I actually have a few on my desk that are somewhat similar (less the snipped spoons), just waiting to get in the mood to fit with some new cork.

 

I have a couple of bags of those brass and coral ones, also quartz and other stones, and am always on the lookout for others. I try to fit all my snuff bottles with a stopper, they look a bit lonely without. The stopper has to fit the style and top of the bottle of course, which is why we need so many spare ones.

 

I agree, they all need a stopper.

I went through a snuff bottle stopper madness marathon a couple years ago. Still have several thousand run of the mill cabochons with collar pieces left over.

The really nice ones or even pieces to make them are hard to find.

 

I wouldn't mind having a rummage through that lot.

True.

 

Wish you were nearby!

 

Guess I can share with you some examples of stoppers with spoons that I pieced together. Probably made about 200 like these.

 

I did a hardness test on the bottle material. Seems to be around a 4 on the Mohs scale. Finger nail did not scratch, Copper penny [real copper penny not the zinc ones, did not scratch. Steel knife scratched it. So between 4 and 4.5 I would say. Not sure of the value, I picked it up at a local estate auction for 55 usd.

 

Gorgeous!

So do I!

 

That makes it one of the softer serpentines. Which is consistent with the crude carving, it is difficult to finely carve a soft stone.

Overhere it would probably be the equivalent of $20-25.

Next time you find one, please feel free to ask here first before you buy. We are always happy to help.

 

Thanks. Is there a good ebay seller or other place I can deal with someone who is not selling fakes? Thanks

 

This is not a fake as such, it is just a low quality bottle.
The best way to buy good bottles is make sure you get some expertise yourself.
There are some excellent books and websites you can study.
This is a good start:

https://snuffbottlesociety.org/en/

And look at the crafts(wo)manship. If a bottle is crudely carved or badly finished, it simply isn't good quality.