Old & Young Dragons Snuff Bottle

B21

Nephrite, mutton fat colour, the body carved with a continuous scene of writhing dragons, old and young, of flattened rounded form standing on a raised oval foot.

Chinese, 1750 - 1850
Stopper: coral, carved with dragon with pearl finial
Provenance: Christies, London, 1974
Height: 5.9cm

Writhing dragons are one of the most popular subjects for snuff bottles made during the zenith of the snuff bottle era. In the West the dragon is portrayed as an ugly and frightening mythological creature, but to the eyes of the Chinese they are reassuringly strong and represent positive and good things. Dragons large and small together mean 'May your children have an illustrious career'.