Chinese Snuff Bottle

[Kaaren B.]

Greetings, all.

I found this in a thrift shop last weekend for $5.00.

I believe it to be a very old Chinese snuff bottle. It has a celadon glaze over, I think, ceramic. The little spoon is still inside, and I believe the top to be jade.

Any thoughts on age or origin much appreciated! Kaaren

[Kaaren B.]

I forgot to mention that it is only slightly over 3" tall, including the cap.

[peterp]

Can you clean off that black matter? Or is that grit?  The black on the glaze should be removable. If not by washing the with a blade. 
Dirt sometimes poses as age signs...

[Kaaren B.]

I'll give it a gentle try. You know on Antiques Show someone brings in something old and says they cleaned it up and the host goes, Oh, no, if only you had left the origiinal patina on this would have been worth twice as much! :)

I'll see if it comes off and if it does I'll send a new photo in. KB

[Kaaren B.]

This is as far as I could get. I notice that the dirt/stain encircles the large chip out of the bottom, which I also notice extends to a crack at the bottom of the bottle where it meets the base.

It looks as if an attempt to repair the crack and chip was carried out.

I post here photos of the bottom after I was able to get all but that light brownish stain that surrounds the half circle of the chip that extends into the base.

The underneath is a very white porcelain or other ceramic or stone. KB

[peterp]

It is difficult to tell how old this could be. The problem with monochromes is that there is only a glaze and bottom for dating.
I can only tell you that it must be Qing dynasty because that is when snuff bottles started to be used.

That with removing patina is right, but dirt is another matter, and this cannot be from usage alone. Basically, patina is good, but dirt not necessarily, because it is often added with fakes to make thing look older. And, unlike as with wood, brass and some other materials, ceramics are less affected by removing it. If the age or production traces are they are there, and dirt would not make them look older anyway. It is the more subtle traces that develop with long usage or very old production traces that make a difference. These traces are not removed by cleaning ceramics, usually.

[Kaaren B.]

Thank you, Peter.

I knew nothing about snuff bottles till I found this. When I read up on them, what I  found also indicates Qing, but when in it is anyone's guess given the length of the dynasty. I did read, however, that production fell off greatly in the 20th century, as use of these fell off greatly.

I don't know if the celadon glaze and jade top are any help. The glaze in person is much nicer than in the photos, a translucent looking soft color with the fish scale design. I assume this desgign was meant to refer to koi?

This is the first and only one of these I have come across in my travels. For $5.00, I am pleased to have it!

KB