19th century Chinese jadeite 'double coins' snuff bottle
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
This 19th-century Chinese snuff bottle is crafted from jadeite, featuring a bright apple-green tone accented with pale greenish-white striations. The vessel is designed with a rounded body rising from a flat base to a cylindrical neck and includes its original stopper.
The body is intricately carved on both sides with an auspicious 'double coins' motif. Each coin design features the inscription wuzhu ('five zhu'), a reference to the famous bronze currency introduced during the Han dynasty. These coins are framed by delicate floral scrolls, serving as a decorative symbol of prosperity, financial success, and longevity in Chinese art. The circular coins, characterized by their distinctive square central apertures, are a hallmark of this piece's aesthetic.
Measuring 5.5 cm in height, the bottle exemplifies the high level of lapidary skill characteristic of Qing dynasty snuff bottle production, where precious stones were meticulously shaped into functional and symbolic containers for tobacco.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Height
- 5.5cm
- Material
- jadeite
Technical characteristics
- Inscription
- wuzhu (five zhu)
Design
- Shape
- rounded with cylindrical neck
- Decoration
- double cash coins surrounded by floral scrolls
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.