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Lot Essay
This distinctive variety of Burmese jadeite has become known in Western terminology as chloromelanite. It is rich in iron and is characterized by deep emerald-green color, less transparency than standard green jadeite, and is often found in combination with a black, or blackish matrix. The polishing of the bottle indicates that there may be a difference in the hardness between the green material and its matrix, the former being harder. This has resulted in the green standing very slightly in relief, lending to the texture of the surface.
As a material it is relatively rare in the snuff-bottle field, and bottles produced from this stone were usually left undecorated, suggesting that this type of jadeite was valued by Qing snuff-bottle makers and connoisseurs for its intrinsic merits as a stone. For two other examples of chloromelanite snuff bottles, see Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, Vol. 1, Jade, nos. 183 and 184.
As a material it is relatively rare in the snuff-bottle field, and bottles produced from this stone were usually left undecorated, suggesting that this type of jadeite was valued by Qing snuff-bottle makers and connoisseurs for its intrinsic merits as a stone. For two other examples of chloromelanite snuff bottles, see Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, Vol. 1, Jade, nos. 183 and 184.