Vintage Ocean Jasper Snuff Bottle

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This snuff bottle was among a group I purchased from a collector who served in the English Navy in the … Read more This snuff bottle was among a group I purchased from a collector who served in the English Navy in the late 1970's,at the end of the Cultural Revolution. That was the period when Premier Deng Xiaoping opened up China for trade to earn the foreign currency. He encouraged the Chinese artisans to produce good arts and crafts for sale to the foreign market. Many snuff bottles carvers who learned their craft in the 1920's were still able to produced beautiful works. It was at this time when the English collector on this tour of duty in the Far East was able to shop for snuff bottles in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and cities in China. I was very pleased to acquire this bottle from his collection.

The stone is Ocean Jasper which is found only in Madagascar. According to Wikipedia, the stones are found in the Analalava district of the Sofia region, on the northwest coast near the town of Ambolobozo. It's mined from the Mine of Marovato on the Ambolobozo Peninsula. Ocean jasper is a rare, semi-precious gemstone that's characterized by its distinctive orb-like patterns. It's named for its location and resemblance to waves, ripples, and water drop rings. I surmised Chinese merchants doing business in Africa were fascinated by these beautiful stones and brought them back to China to be carved into beautiful objects.

The flattened globular shaped has a large raised oval foot. The mouth is not flat but concave, dipping towards the opening. It is typical of the bottles that were made around the 1970's period. when the carvers paid more attention to details. The stone is very beautiful with rich colors. The stopper is a tan agate on a black collar which compliments the bottle. See less