A chalcedony well hollowed silhouette crane picture snuff bottle with an agate and metal stopper.

THE CHINESE COLLECTION

 

Crane Snuff Bottle

 

A chalcedony well hollowed silhouette crane picture snuff bottle with an agate and metal stopper.

B35

Chalcedony, of pale-grey and beige colours, with darker brown areas carved with a crane carrying a spray of lingzhi in its beak; the well-hollowed bottle of bulbous form.

Chinese, 1750 - 1860
Stopper: pink stained quartz on a metal mount
Provenance: Hugh Moss Ltd, London, 1973
Height: 6cm

Some of the most cleverly designed hard stone bottles are conceived using just a few carved 'strokes'. This scene depicts a crane struggling through the air with a trophy in its beak, the 'strokes' emphasising the natural awkwardness of this well loved and often depicted creature. The crane is one of the many symbols of longevity.

 

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