Scu, China, carving, chalcedony

Scu, China, carving, chalcedony

The bottle is a rounded flattened flask form with a flat-topped stopper.
It is made of chalcedony, pale honey colour, with dark brown speckled inclusions, with decoration carved in low relief. The stopper of amethyst.
The carving depicts a bearded man holding a peach; beside him a crackled vase containing coral; overhead is a sword hanging from the branch of a tree; on the side of the bottle walks a man holding a fishing rod and on the reverse, a flying bird.
The bottle does not have a foot; the sides curve under to form a base with a shallow angular oval indentation.
The dark brown inclusions determine the placing of the carved decoration.

Salting Bequest

Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

Snuff is powdered tobacco, usually blended with aromatic herbs or spices. The habit of snuff-taking spread to China from the West during the 17th century and became established in the 18th century. People generally carried snuff in a small bottle. By the 20th century these bottles had become collectors' items, owing to the great variety of materials and decorative techniques used in their production.

C.1766&A-1910