Large Vintage Banded Agate Snuff Bottle

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This large banded agate snuff bottle was produced at a particular period of the Chinese snuff bottle trade. This bottle … Read more This large banded agate snuff bottle was produced at a particular period of the Chinese snuff bottle trade. This bottle is of a larger size, well hollowed, and mostly made of agate. These agate bottles are surprising light, this one weighing 3.5 ounces. The snuff bottle maker took pains to study the best of the stone, and shape this bottle to show off the best in the designs. The shape of the bottle is of a flattened shape tapering towards the base, ending in a wide raised oval foot. The short neck ends in a top with a small opening. The sides are carved with a flat mythical creature with ring. The surfaces are polished extremely smooth, feeling good to the touch. The large stopper is made of brown color agate which compliments the bottle.

The attractive feature of this large well hollowed bottle is the bands of the natural wavy and geometric lines of that fall on both faces of the bottle. The beauty of the designs are why bandead agates are so beloved by collectors.

It appears that this type of well hollowed agate bottles were made at a certain period and never made again, perhaps of the time consuming nature that was not cost effective. They are better made from the bottles made after the Cultural Revolution that ended in the late 1970's, and a little different from 1920's and 30's period snuff bottles. The conclusion is that this bottle was made in a sbrief period in the 1950's when there was a period of fine artistic productions of Chinese arts and ccrafts. See less