Featured 4 ORIENTAL SNUFF BOTTLES IN SHADOW BOX DECOR OR COLLECTION?

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by journeymagazine, Feb 18, 2019.

  1. journeymagazine

    journeymagazine Well-Known Member

    When I found this I thought it was just a decorating piece of wall art, but my girlfriend said she thought it might be someone's collection?
    There are no marks or stickers on the shadow box.
    Are these snuff bottles collectibles or is it a factory made home décor?
    Thank you in advance!

    AA ART PLAQUE SNUFF BOTTLES 1AA.JPG AA ART PLAQUE SNUFF BOTTLES 2AA.JPG AA ART PLAQUE SNUFF BOTTLES 2AAA.JPG AA ART PLAQUE SNUFF BOTTLES 3AA.JPG
     
    Christmasjoy, kyratango and patd8643 like this.
  2. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    The bottles are recent, so not from a collection. Just nice home decor. Looks like the theme could be poetry.
     
  3. journeymagazine

    journeymagazine Well-Known Member

    Thank you any jewelry!
     
  4. lpan9

    lpan9 Active Member

    They look to me quite unusual although maybe not antique yet, but should have 30 years. First, I believe it is hand-painted inner paintings with good details. Secondly, I really think the glass bottles are unusual, the shape and side lines make me thinking they are carved rather than molded glass. You may carefully compare the side lines to see if they are identical from bottle to bottle. Machine-made would be very identical, hand-carved would show differences every where, like height, width, thickness. If the bottles are carved glass, then value would be very good.
     
    Christmasjoy and judy like this.
  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I agree, inside painted. But carved glass bottles are usually sold with agate stoppers, these stoppers are plastic, of the slightly transparent red type used for cheap bottles.
     
    Christmasjoy and judy like this.
  6. lpan9

    lpan9 Active Member

    I carefully looked at the inner shoulders of the bottles again, I am thinking the hollow was also carved. The red stoppers do not look plastic to me, but we need the photo owner to verify it.
     
  7. lpan9

    lpan9 Active Member

    By the way, forgot to mention that the language on bottle is Chinese, just some description about the scene, so they were made in China. The inner reserved paintings could only be hand-painted at that time. If the glass is also carved, then it may be dated to 40 to 50 years ago of 1960s to 70s (also based on the aging of the frame), because only during that time period of China, a worker's monthly salary is only about $10 USD, so they could hand-made it to export and still have profit.
     
  8. JayBee

    JayBee Well-Known Member

    Yes, these are Chinese, and hand painted from the inside, with curved hair thin brushes. I can't tell what's written as it is not clear, but probably some story about the scenes illustrated.
    When I arrived in China (1982) the people I was working with were being paid 4-8 RMB YUAN a month; that was about US$1-$2 (a bit later, memory not failing me, the dollar was at YUAN RMB 6.) No artisan was being paid $10 a month back in the 60s and 70s.
    Also, do not forget that 1966-76 were the years of the Cultural Revolution. Engaging in this kind of work would have sent them straight to reeducation camps for indulging in reactionary activities and supporting the remnants of the feudal regime. Everything being produced during that decade was "revolutionary."
    This said, it's more likely these where produced in the 80s, maybe early/mid 90s. They are still producing them these days.

     
    2manybooks likes this.
  9. journeymagazine

    journeymagazine Well-Known Member

    Not sure what the 'side lines' are but I will try to take some pics from top looking down + from a couple of angles
     
  10. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Sorry guys, as a snuff bottle collector I can tell you that this pretty shadowbox is of no interest to fellow collectors. It has decorative value, not collectable value, and these are probably still being made today. Best to check ebay etc for similar bottles and boxes.
    I don't know the exact date when the red plastic stoppers were introduced, but I didn't see them before ca 2000. It is extremely doubtful anyone would have replaced nice older stoppers with these plastic ones. Loose stoppers for sale online are Peking glass or a nice (gem)stone, often mounted in brass

    Recent bottles can fetch amazing prices, but they would have to have a more artistic quality, and preferably be by a known artist or studio.
    This is a ca 1980 Peach River Studio bottle from my collection, also inside painted. Other artists can be much more expensive.
    As you can see the stopper is not of the recent red plastic variety.;) Believe me, stoppers on collectible bottles never are.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2019
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