Snuff Bottle with Queen Mother of the West
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
This Chinese snuff bottle is crafted from carved coral and dates to the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The vessel features an upright form enveloped in intricate high-relief and openwork carving, utilizing the natural warm salmon-orange and pale tones of the material.
The sculptural decoration depicts the Queen Mother of the West accompanied by a smaller figure amid openwork leafy branches bearing blossoms or fruit. The figures and intertwining branches encircle the smooth central body of the bottle, forming an integrated, freestanding structure. The bottle includes a matching coral stopper carved with floral detailing at the top.
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.
Historical context
The snuff bottle is part of the Lucy Maud Buckingham Memorial collection, given by Miss Katherine S. Buckingham.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Carved coral
Technical characteristics
- Maker recorded
- China
- Place recorded
- China
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Art Institute of Chicago collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Snuff Bottle with Queen Mother of the West
- Museum object number
- 1925.1385
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.