Antique Chinese Natural Gourd Snuff Bottle
Located in Point Richmond, CA
A Natural Gourd Snuff Bottle, Qing Dynasty. A dried globular knobby gourd that is hollowed
Organic Material
Antique Chinese Natural Double Gourd Snuff Bottle
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Antique Chinese Natural Double Gourd Snuff Bottle, Qing Dynasty. The long natural gourd is referred
Organic Material
$17,800
H 3.55 in Dm 1.97 in
Important Chinese Incised & Filled Gourd Snuff Bottle "Ruan Guang Yu" 阮光宇 c.1959
Located in Richmond, CA
A masterfully carved hulu gourd snuff bottle by the esteemed artist Ruan Guang Yu (阮光宇, 1903-1960
Organic Material
$1,260
H 3.35 in W 1.75 in D 1.25 in
Chinese Hand Carved Peking Glass Snuff Bottle Reverse Painted Dragon Pearl Gourd
Located in Palm Beach, FL
An exquisite Chinese Hand Carved Peking Glass Snuff Bottle. Hand painted on the reverse with a
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Cut Glass
Chinese Double Gourd "Root" Amber Snuff Bottle, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
20th century snuff bottle is made of "root" amber shaped into a double gourd form, an emblem of
Other
Chinese Double Gourd Repoussé Snuff Bottle with Jade Buttons, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
charming metal snuff bottle dates to the 19th century and is shaped as a double gourd (hulu), a symbol of
Jade, Metal, Copper
Chinese Moulded and Incised Natural Gourd Snuff Bottle
Located in New York, NY
Chinese molded and incised natural gourd snuff bottle, hollow gourd modeled into a miniature
Organic Material
Sold
H 2.75 in W 1.88 in D 1.25 in
Chinese Snuff Bottle Gourd Shape Hand Carved Boxwood with Spoon, 19th Century
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a very good Chinese deeply hand carved boxwood snuff bottle with a gourd shape and original
Boxwood
The last imperial dynasty from 1644 to 1912 was a time of change in China, beginning with the invasion by Manchurian forces that ended the Ming dynasty and established the Shunzhi Emperor. The expansion of exportation and trade that had bolstered the arts during the Ming era continued, as Qing dynasty furniture involved the same attention to craftsmanship with expert construction techniques in hardwood pieces that were assembled with mortise and tenon joints rather than nails or glue. Together, these eras comprise a golden age of Chinese furniture design.
Ming-style furniture is simple and elegant with clean lines. Chairs of the period and other Ming furniture made an impression on Scandinavian modernist Hans Wegner and his streamlined seating, for example. Whereas Qing-style furniture is elaborate, with an increasing influence from the West leading to lavish carving inspired by the European Baroque and Rococo styles. And while many of the forms that define examples of the latter are common within classical Chinese furniture, such as curving and folding chairs as well as large screens, Qing designs are laden with ornamentation. Frequently, the carved motifs and inlaid designs in mother-of-pearl were auspicious, such as peonies for wealth or dragons for luck. Bats were symbols of happiness in the design of Qing furniture, with one of the characters in the word for bat, bianfu, being a homophone for fu, or “fortune.”
While several types of wood were used in the construction of Qing beds, tables, storage pieces and seating, today’s collectors know that the most prized were the rare rosewoods zitan and huanghuali. They were both sourced from Hainan, China’s largest island, and are marked by a rich luster that occurs naturally, without the application of lacquer or other decorative materials. Many of the most popular woods were imported from southeast Asia, adding to their value. Red sandalwood was also sought after for its durability and connection with Chinese medicine, with some chairs being made for health benefits.
Find a collection of antique Qing tea tables, stools, benches, decorative objects and more furniture on 1stDibs.