Metal Double-Gourd Snuff Bottle with Applied Dragons

Object/Artifact

-

The Curio Cabinet Collection

Name/Title

Metal Double-Gourd Snuff Bottle with Applied Dragons

Entry/Object ID

SB3509

Description

Double-gourd-form metal snuff bottle composed of two spherical sections joined by a cylindrical waist, with a pair of three-dimensional dragons extending along either side and additional applied auspicious relief decoration on the lower globe. The bottle retains a domed red stopper in an ornamental metal collar and a long metal spoon. In Chinese decorative tradition, the double gourd (hulu) is associated with longevity, protection and good fortune, while the dragon symbolizes power, vitality and auspicious authority.

Category

Chinese snuff bottle

Made/Created

Artist

Maker presently unidentified

Time Period

20th Century

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Asia

Culture/Tribe

Chinese

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Single stamped/incised Chinese character to underside, probably 福 (fú, “good fortune; blessing”); reading provisional due to wear and surface corrosion.

Dimensions

Height

2-1/2 in

Width

2-1/8 in

Diameter

1-1/4 in

Weight

46 g

Accessories

Accessory

Stopper

Materials

Material Notes

White metal / copper-alloy metal with silver-colored surface; exact composition undetermined.

Condition

Overall Condition

Fair

Acquisition

Acquisition Method

Purchase