1750-1850

Details

A CARVED AMBER SNUFF BOTTLE
1750-1850
The opaque yellowish-orange colored bottle has areas of translucent and transparent material, and is carved on one side with two boys flying a kite beneath a pine tree. The reverse is undecorated.
2 3/8 in. (6 cm.) high, glass stopper

Provenance

Dennis G. Crow, Los Angeles, California, 1994.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, no. 1229.

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve.

Brought to you by

Andrew Lick

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

Amber was valued long before the snuff-bottle era and was considered to be a symbol of longevity, since it was known to have settled in the ground while being transformed over a long period of time. It would have become a popular material for snuff bottles from very early in the development of the art form. The decoration of a pine tree on the present bottle could be a reference to the ancient coniferous trees which were the source of the amber used to carve this bottle.

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