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Collecting Snuff Bottles
by:
Vanessa F. Holden
In the last ten years, interest in Asian art has grown markedly. As the Mainland Chinese gain more disposable income, some have started to buy back their art. Even in these uncertain economic times, the most recent auctions in Hong Kong have shown that Chinese art can still fetch record prices, and illustrate the strength of the global art market. As the prices of certain sectors of Chinese art are beyond the reach of many collectors, snuff bottles are an area that remains affordable. It is still possible to purchase an eighteenth or nineteenth century snuff bottle for as little as US$500. As a dealer selling snuff bottles I am often asked why people collect them. My mother, Rachelle R. Holden, is a collector, and this was her response:
When I saw my first snuff bottle it struck a deep chord within me, and I felt I had to know more about them. As I began to search for more bottles, I was struck by the variety of materials. I soon realised these were microcosms of all the higher Chinese arts - porcelain, jade, agate, glass - they came in wondrous colours, shapes and sizes, all tiny treasures you could keep in a New York apartment.
Singapore collector Chee Huei Leng told me for her it was a way 'to learn about Chinese arts and culture and the more I delve into the subject, the more my horizons have been broadened.' Joe Grimberg added 'they are visually pleasing and very tactile.' Having decided what he wanted to collect, he surmised 'the choice of objects is often accidental. I happened to walk past the window of an antique shop twenty-five years ago and saw a snuff bottle that I fancied ... once the decision is made, the objects grow on one to the point of addiction.'
Quentin Loh expanded on this: 'There is no doubt about it, it is correctly viewed as an addiction or a disease for which there is no known cure.' He was on holiday in Hawaii with another collector, Denis Low, and saw the artist Wang Xisan and a pupil of his at a booth in a shopping centre. Quentin Loh expounds: 'I was so struck by the minute detail of the painting in such a small space and equally struck by the beauty of the calligraphy. I bought one bottle, a product of Wang Xisan's best pupil and ordered another to be painted by Wang Xisan himself.' Denis Low was 'enthralled by their diminutive size, their miniature artistic execution and the skill it required.' Having built a world-class collection in a short time, he employs the strategy of having a core group of carefully selected bottles and 'filling in the gaps.' He feels 'peer respect is an important aspect of collecting.'
Gary Davis, an American collector living in Kuala Lumpur, is an avid history buff. He stated 'some collect to satisfy a fondness or fascination with history or a particular time and place within it. Chinese snuff bottles embody in miniature the last great Chinese dynasty. For me, my attraction to Chinese art and history has been a bridge between my wife's culture and my own.' Steven Cheong, another Singapore collector 'started collecting as an alternative to investing in the stock market. One needs to have other outlets to relax and retain sanity in this world. Having collected Persian carpets and modern art posters, I felt it was time to go into serious collecting. I also felt a strong pull to acquire art, which I could relate to in a historical sense - going back to the roots of my Chinese past and a belief that modern day China will one day seek to buy back much of its cultural heritage that is now in Western collections.'
Richard Baey felt 'bottles are suitable for city dwellers such as myself since the small size makes it comfortable for a collector who has limited display area,' and they 'come in such a wide range of materials and techniques they can easily satisfy any art collector.' He added 'handling the bottle itself, increases the enjoyment on another level' One can appreciate not only the story, but the tactile quality as well. He also raised the issue of affordability: 'A collector can still collect good pieces at reasonable prices. This helps collectors who are just beginning to amass some bottles pique their interest.' David Chan started to collect by chance: 'As a collector of Chinese porcelain, I was often in the salesrooms of Christie's and Sotheby's. At one preview in 1982, I saw some Chinese snuff bottles of such exquisite beauty that I decided to bid for them. This became a fascination that kindled within me a desire to begin collecting snuff bottles.'
Snuff bottles are tiny, only 30 to 90 mm tall. They are supported on a small foot rim, with an upright neck, although some maintain the natural shape of the materials from which they are formed, such as pebbles or bamboo root. An opening at the top is enclosed by a removable stopper bearing a cork and small spoon, used to extract the snuff from the container. Snuff comprises finely-ground tobacco combined with herbs, aromatics and spices. Snuff bottles are mostly made in China, although Japan produced some in lacquer, cinnabar lacquer, and ivory. They were made predominantly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries of every conceivable material, in a never-ending variety of shapes and forms. Some of the materials were glass, enamel on glass or copper, porcelain, jade, chalcedony, crystal, hard stones, semi-precious stones such as opal, sapphire, and beryl, amber, coral, lacquer, ivory, bamboo, wood and other organic materials including dwarf coconut and Yixing wares.
What should one look for when collecting snuff bottles? The answers were as diverse as my clients. Some pointers suggested were: the form and shape of the bottle; the style; the quality of carving or painting; the material; the colour (with jades); the use of material (in the case of shadow agate bottles for example); the quality of a certain piece; and in the case of jade or other hard stone bottles, how hollow they are.
On another level, Rachelle Holden added: 'As the collection grew, I was curious as to what the carvings on the bottles meant. Nothing on a bottle is incidental. There are secret messages. As a child, I used my decoder ring like "The Shadow" whom I listened to on the radio, hunting for clues in the back yards of my neighbourhood. Now, as an adult, I searched to unlock the secrets of the carvings on the snuff bottles. They spoke of wishes for prosperity, long life, marital bliss, many progeny. My imagination was on fire. Where had these bottles lived? Those that were Palace bottles - had they witnessed intrigue? What secrets had they been privy to? These questions drove my passion. The more I asked, the more I wanted to know. And still today I am caught up in the chase - the never-ending search for some new treasure to come my way. My "precious babies" are always ready to welcome a new addition to the family.'
Gary Davis likened it to a 'sense of attraction' in the beginning, 'like browsing in a bookstore and having a book jump out at you.' Over time he gravitated 'towards specific types that he felt would make a contribution. Now it is not so much the individual piece jumping out at me but rather the piece seeming a bit more objectively appraised in my eyes.' Chee Huei Leng feels one should collect 'whatever appeals to you.' Steven Cheong is particularly fond of enamel bottles, which he 'regards as the pinnacle of snuff bottles,' it is the 'colourful work of enamelling that has never failed to captivate me, hence my interest in bright colours. The combination of Western art form depicted on Chinese enamelled snuff bottles are, in my view, the most appealing examples to collect.' Richard Baey said: 'Follow your heart. As there is a wide range of materials to choose from, one should acquire what one likes within one's budget. The age should not be a primary concern unless historical background is important to establish authenticity of the bottle.'
David Chan stated: 'What I looked for in the beginning was what I liked and whether I had the budget for them. I didn't have any particular choice of material like glass, jade or stone.' Steven Cheong commented on what makes for a good example: 'Balance in composition of the painting or carving, combination of colour and tactile feel makes for a good snuff bottle.' Richard Baey had a different view: 'After a while a collector may want to focus on a certain material or theme based on one's personal interest. I have a soft spot for hardstone bottles, and as a result, I have more jade and chalcedony bottles than any other materials. To me, every stone bottle is unique, as it is highly unlikely to have another exactly identical bottle produced from the natural material. To every collector who has been collecting for a while, there will be a dream bottle on his wish list.'
David Chan notes 'As I begin to know more through books and exchanges with fellow collectors, I aspire to upgrade my collection and aim towards sourcing good examples like enamels on copper made in the Imperial workshops.' Quentin Loh remarked 'it depends on the type of material.' For glass bottles, 'when held in the hand a bottle must have the perfect curve and proportion.' He gave many more examples too numerous to cite, but of equal importance. In the case of the inside-painted bottles he made an interesting point - a piece could contain 'superb technical decoration but one does not feel much love shown by the artist. It is almost as if it had been made for everyday commerce & In the inside-painted category one looks at the art work - clearly the early bottles, if photographed all around and "rolled" out onto a flat surface, could be blown up and stand in their own right as paintings of a master.' Lastly, he observes 'the more one studies and the more snuff bottles one sees, the surer the taste becomes.' With experience comes a trained eye.
Snuff bottles can be obtained at auction, through dealers, or from fellow collectors. However, the market is now a mixed one, comprising antique snuff bottles from the eighteenth and nineteenth century, as well as modern ones. Many people purchase the modern bottles, as they are aesthetically pleasing, reasonably priced and decorative in their own right. Whether one chooses to buy new bottles or antique ones is very individual and often dictated by your wallet.
Porcelain, of flattened spherical shape, decorated in polychrome enamels on each main side with similar scenes of fifty boys, some holding lanterns, toy animals, drums and trumpets playing near the steps of a forecourt and a large tree, the panels framed in underglaze blue lines and the narrow sides and flared neck decorated in doucai enamels with floral patterns, the convex base inscribed in underglaze-blue Qianlong nian zhi (made in the Qianlong period). 1760-1799, Imperial, Jingdezhen kilns, ht 55 mm. Sanctum of Enlightened Respect Collection, courtesy of Denis S.K. Low, Singapore If you are looking to start collecting snuff bottles, you should read as many books, catalogues and articles as possible on the subject; in Sydney, All Arts Bookshop has an excellent selection. Spend a lot of time doing research; talk with other collectors and if possible view their collections; handle as many bottles as possible in order to familiarise yourself with your subject, attend auctions, talk to the experts, and obtain the catalogues to become aware of market prices. Buy only from reputable dealers. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If there are exhibits on view at the local museum, attend them as often as you can, as you can never see too many bottles, and each time you look at a group of bottles guaranteed you will discover something new. Try to solve the puzzle on each bottle. What is it trying to tell you? Go back to your books and more often than not, you will find a similar theme that will help you to unlock the secret.
Chee Huei Leng advised 'buy slowly,' which she admitted is 'very difficult advice to follow & collect what appeals to the eye and the heart;' the one that 'talks to you;' and don't be influenced by a particular dealer's taste as if discussing the latest fashion. One should buy the best possible example within your given budget. Quentin Loh aptly zeroes in on this point: 'Collectors should stretch for the best bottles of each group; they are not necessarily the most expensive. Buy those that are truly works of art in the highest class of that group. It is far better to have fewer bottles, since budgetary constraints are always there except for a very lucky few. Collect only those of superior or "stunning" quality rather than many of more mediocre range.'
As a dealer, I do not advocate buying for investment as art markets go up and down just like property and shares. Rather, buy a particular piece that appeals and one enjoys; and remember 'this is not a competition.' In following this advice, Gary Davis summed it up nicely: 'this will save them many later regrets.' Join organisations such as the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society to mix with like-minded collectors.
Given today's lifestyle, with people living in smaller homes or apartments, snuff bottles are very versatile, as they do not take up a lot of space. Due to their small size, one can display them in a variety of ways and have either a very small collection or a large one. It is very individual, and that's what makes each collection so special, since it reflects the eclectic tastes and personality of the owner. When you are driven by a passion, such as collecting, it keeps you eternally young. |
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