Chinese carved pale celadon jade snuff bottle, 18th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
18th century
This 18th-century Chinese snuff bottle is crafted from pale celadon jade, featuring natural inclusions characteristic of the material. The vessel possesses a flattened, rounded body that serves as a canvas for intricate relief carvings.
On one side, the jade is decorated with flowering prunus branches, while the reverse side displays a detailed lotus pond scene. Both faces are further enhanced with carved poetic verses. The bottle is fitted with a coral stopper and is accompanied by a wooden display stand. Measuring 7 cm in height, the bottle exemplifies the exquisite lapidary work typical of the Qing dynasty. The delicate handling of the stone combined with the thematic imagery of flora suggests a refined aesthetic intention common to snuff bottle production of this era, serving both as a functional container for tobacco powder and a decorative object of personal accessory.
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
- 7 cm
- Material
- pale celadon jade, coral
- Accessories
- wood stand
Design
- Obverse
- carved flowering prunus branches and verses
- Reverse
- carved lotus pond scene and verses
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.