Studio: international art (8.1896)

Chinese Snuff Bottles

FIG. 12.—CHALCEDONY DOUBLE BOTTLE FIG. 13. — MILKY JADE FIG. 14. — YELLOW CHALCEDONY

facture of any article—namely jade, and which held in so much higher esteem than many other

naturally is utilised to a large extent for snuff stones with which it cannot compare; in lustre, for

bottles. instance, with rock crystal; in colour with sardonyx ;

Jade is a heavy, semilucent stone of a singularly in marking with agate ; or in surface or translucence
close grain, unctuous to sight and touch, and with others of the quartz family. Nor is it its
ranging in colour from milky white to deep olive, rarity which gives it this value ; as, although fault-
according to the amount of oxide of iron and oxide less pieces are not often met with, the lower grades
of chrome in its composition. Its hardness is such are produced in a sufficient quantity to take it out
that it will cut glass and quartz, and its toughness of this category. It is for the most part found
that it may be cut almost as thin as paper. The near Khotan, and Yarkand, in Chinese Turkestan,
illustration Fig. i is an instance of this, as the The reason for its great renown is clearly its
bottle, chains, and even the stopper with chain is imperishability ; and hence its employment for
cut from a single piece. It is named K'iung or articles which form part of rites and usages destined
Chrysoprase, in allusion to the milk-white purity in the mind of the Chinese to be handed down
of one of its most highly esteemed varieties and as from generation to generation in a never-ending
a synonym for whiteness and spotlessness. It has succession.

been held in esteem for thousands of years. One A word must be given to a variety of crystal
Liki, addressing Confucius (who lived in the sixth bottles in which the artist has painted scenes in
century B.C.), questioned him, " Dare I ask why the most dexterous manner on the inside of the
your highness prizes so highly jade and has not a bottle, another instance of his determination to
good word for soapstone ? It cannot be because produce a result in the most difficult way. Figs,
jade is rare and soapstone common." To this 15 and 17 are illustrations of this.
Confucius replied, " It is not because soapstone The student or the collector can, thanks to the
is abundant that it has no value, nor because jade liberality of Mr. George Salting, study some
is rare that I hold it in high estimation; it is three hundred snuff bottles in the South Ken-
because from very remote ages wise men have sington Museum. Mr. Salting's bottles form part
likened jade to all the virtues. In their eyes its of a fine and costly collection which was brought
polish and lustre are comparable to the virtue of over from France some few years ago ; they include
humanity; its perfect density and its extreme hard- glass and hard stones, but not porcelain. There
ness to a quick intelligence \ its angularities to are a few good porcelain bottles at the British
justice, for although they appear sharp yet they do Museum, but South Kensington does not, I believe,
not hurt; the pure resonance it emits when struck, possess any. Pieces occur from time to time in
and which suddenly ceases to music, its iridescence sales, but the small demand which at present exists
recalls heaven, its beautiful nature earth." amongst our dealers for them is usually either sup-
It is difficult to appreciate the excessive value plied by Paris or China. Judging from a collec-
attached to it by the Chinese and why it is tion which was recently sent over from Berlin with