Featured Opium bottle?

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by Jal, Mar 16, 2020.

  1. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    Hi,
    Recently this item was given to me. I'm not an expert in asian antiquest, but it looks like a opium bottle. I'm interested on knowing the artist, period of creation, and other things of my items.
    Could someone help me with some information?

    Thanks in advance!!
     

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  2. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    more pics...
     

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  3. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    snuff bottle.......?
    does the coral have a spoon......?
     
    judy, pearlsnblume, Figtree3 and 3 others like this.
  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Beautiful, Jal.
    Yes, it is a Chinese jade snuff bottle with a coral stopper. I would love to see the spoon, if it is still in the stopper. And the top of the coral branch please.
    The jade is a pebble sourced from a river, possibly in Hetian/Khotan, with clever use of the natural russet 'skin' for the ruyi mushroom shape.
    It looks like it is meant to be an eggplant with a cricket?

    Snuff bottles were used like snuff boxes in the West. Most contained tobacco or a medicinal herb mixture. It is pretty difficult to get a chunk of opium out through that thin neck.;)
    It is very nice quality, a good piece.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Sorry, forgot to reply to this.
    It isn't signed, these jade pieces usually aren't. It is unlikely you will ever know who made it.
    It doesn't look antique to me, and similar bottles are still being made, but we need to see the spoon as well, and the lower part of the stopper. And a view of the entire bottle and the carving please.

    Snuff bottles are collected for their beauty as well as their age. Some contemporary bottles are extremely valuable, particularly inside painted glass and crystal bottles by famous artists.
     
  6. Hollyblue

    Hollyblue Well-Known Member

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  7. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Yes, they have always been popular, and it is a durable material. I have quite a few myself, antique and vintage.
    You can see that most of the bottles on the page are older than the one Jal posted, not as shiny, but with the velvet feel of old Chinese nephrite jade.
     
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  8. kyratango

    kyratango Bug jewellery addiction!

    Absolutely beautiful! Would love too to see the spoon if still attached to the stopper:cyclops:
     
  9. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    Thanks for the information, I going to post more pictures.
     

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  10. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    more...
     

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  11. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    more..
     

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  12. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    I have been reading about snuff bottles, and the topic is very interesting!!
     
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  13. popsycat

    popsycat Well-Known Member

    Love this one.
     
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  14. Couch Potato Wannabe

    Couch Potato Wannabe Well-Known Member

  15. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the photos Jal. The bone spoon and the stopper are original to the bottle.
    Dating is always difficult with jade, but judging from the spoon and stopper and the look of the jade, I think your bottle dates from the first half of the 20th century. Again, this is a good piece.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    That's a beauty. It is much older than Jal's though, so much more valuable.:) I suspect the age is more 18th than 19th century.
     
  17. Figtree3

    Figtree3 What would you do if you weren't afraid?

    Beautiful snuff bottles!

    And @Jal , you can include more than one photo in a post. It's easier for us all to look at them if they are all in one post. It is also preferred by most people if you would click on the Full Image link after uploading.

    Thanks for posting your beautiful snuff bottle.
     
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  18. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    I think it may be slightly older.....
    and the one from skinners....may be mutton fat...??....that white jade is more highly prized..! . imo..
     
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  19. Jal

    Jal Active Member

    Dear Any jewelry , thank you for your comments and quotes they are highly appreciated and interesting. And Figtree, related to your advice, I will in the future, thanks.
    Anyway, I like the colors, the shape and the combination of materials in this bottle, it is beautiful.
     
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  20. georgeingraham

    georgeingraham Active Member

    Nice little bottle Jal...
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2020
    judy likes this.
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