Chinese Snuff Bottles – Sensations in Glass!

Author: John N. Cohen
The first bottles we decided to buy that were not carved out of stone were made of glass. A huge range of glass bottles is to be found in all shapes and colours as well as a variety of manufacturing techniques.

Much more research is needed in order to date these bottles, but it is generally now agreed that glass and metal bottles were the earliest materials to be used. The problem is that glass has been used throughout the whole snuff bottle period right up to the present day.

The Chinese had little use for glass prior to the 17th century mainly because of their highly refined porcelain skills. They had no glass windows, favouring translucent paper. We are not sure if glass had been used centuries earlier in China but it was certainly introduced to them by Europeans in good time for snuff bottles.

Cameo Glass

They considered it as a valuable material and excelled in producing very fine works of art. Sometimes they treated it just like a stone and carved bottles out of a solid piece, otherwise they blew glass into moulds. Creating many unusual bottles ranging from transparent to white as backgrounds for colour overlay work. They were also able to control bubbles and by the addition of white flecks in the glass, colours such as these apt names suggest were created: - Sodden Snow, Camphor, and Snowflakes.

These bottles would then be dipped into bright coloured molten glass which later would be carved away to leave a cameo style of design. Some were dipped more than once to provide more than one coloured layer. Another technique was to apply to different areas of the bottle coloured molten blobs of glass. When these were carved the bottle could have up to as many as eight different colours cameo carved without increasing the number of layers.

Quality Counts

To a connoisseur, the number of colours or layers is not so very important, as it was not such a difficult process and a far softer material to carve than stone. What really should be valued is the quality of the carving and the overall design. Quite often a wonderfully carved and well-designed single colour overlay will be worth far more than a multicolour but poorly finished bottle.

To assess these bottles the colour is a consideration but great attention is paid just as with stone cameo carving, to the quality of the carving and especially to how well the background is finished close to the edge of the overlay. I have selected a ruby red single overlay as a good example to photograph. It shows a coiled `Chih Lung' or dragon on both sides; also having mythological animal mask and mock ring handles on each shoulder 1750 - 1860. The dragon is a birth sign used rather like our zodiac signs. (See the photograph by clicking on the link at the end of this article).

There is a group of rather special, very finely worked overlay bottles known as the `Seal School' because they always include a seal with the design. They were made later and date back from the second half of the 19th century.

Although these were made in the same way, the overlay is far more delicately carved and often even the thickness of the overlay is controlled to create shading. They normally used opaque white bottles as the background but some were also worked on other opaque colours. So far, I have never seen any on the clear or snowflake backgrounds. The photograph* shows a fine seal school bottle depicting a pair of cats at play with hovering insects amongst the flowers. On each side there is a bowl of fruit on a table and on the reverse is another scene of a drunken poet asleep in a garden. (*See the photograph by clicking on the link at the end of this article).

Layers of Glass

Apart from these overlay types there are many interesting mottled, swirling and colourful designs as well as the plain colour bottles, both uncarved and carved.

Many of these were quite complex in the way they were made: some were blown into moulds then finished by hand; others involved blowing a clear glass into a mould but then another layer was blown inside the first bottle. This layer was a thin colourful one, sandwiched by yet a third clear layer that was also blown in. When looking down at the neck of one of these bottles you can clearly see these three layers.

A variety of colours were successfully used, together with gold in the creation of snuff bottles. There is no doubt that their advanced knowledge acquired in firing porcelain, and how metallic oxides react, was put to good use in glass.

It has also been suggested that apart from mixing in metals, even small particles of precious gemstones such as Sapphires, Emeralds and Rubies were added to the molten glass.

Particular attention was given to the feel of the finished material, which was achieved by the type of polishing and even the weight was controlled by the addition of lead. With transparent bottles the inside could be controlled and made to appear crazed as these names suggest - Cracked Ice, Fish Net or Sea Spray.

Most of the really fine snuff bottles were made in the Imperial Workshop and other small glass works around Peking.

Stone Imitations

With such expertise the Chinese were able to make astounding imitations of other materials. There are many bottles that look and feel just like Jade, Aquamarine, Agate and other stones. There has been a view in the past that the Chinese made these as fakes with the intention to deceive. I am sure that this was not the case, as it was far too easy to find them out by careful inspection. Under magnification little holes on the surface that could not be polished out and tiny bubbles would be seen proving it must be glass. Lastly, glass unlike the stones can be scratched quite easily by steel.

The Chinese enjoyed making convincing imitations of highly valued minerals as a demonstration of their skill. One other mineral cleverly copied was Realgar with its bright red and yellow swirling colours, impossible to use because of a high arsenic content, so these copies would have caused a lot of intrigue.

Imperial Yellow

I have already mentioned that a wide range of colours was used for glass bottles. Such colours as sapphire blue and ruby red seem to have been the most popular of the earliest ones. However the Emperor Chien-Lung had a favourite colour that he decreed could only be used by the Imperial family and this was an opaque shade of yellow that is now referred to as `Imperial Yellow'.

Not all bottles of this colour really are Imperial as after his death this colour was available to all. A true `Imperial Yellow' bottle must be one from his period and that can only be confirmed by the quality of the bottle and the carving. The `Imperial Yellow' bottle pictured is well carved with an archaic design on both sides and is of the period 1736 - 1795. (See the photograph by clicking on the link at the end of this article).

Painted On The Inside

There remains one other area of glass bottles that really amazes everyone, these being the `Inside painted' bottles. I have only a couple of examples in the collection, as I do not generally favour them as in my view they were never made for use. Once snuff was put into them the picture would not show up well, and the spoon would soon ruin the painting.

I should also explain that they did not restrict inside painting to glass but have applied the same techniques to Crystal and Chalcedony. The vast majority however are in specially designed glass bottles of a uniform shape.

What is remarkable is that through such a tiny hole in the neck they could paint on the inside landscapes, animals, calligraphy and even portraits. In order for the image to show through the glass the painting had to be done in reverse, all such fine details as the eyelashes for example, had to be painted first! All of these bottles are signed by the artist and many, some very attractive ones too, are still being made today.

For our own collection I felt that we should have one or two examples and I was lucky enough to buy the earliest known, dated and signed inside painted bottle by Kan Huan-Wen. He is one of the first well-known artist and highly respected. He has painted inside a rock crystal bottle, a scene of Buddhist Lions with a poem on the reverse. This bottle is signed and dated 1822. (See the photograph by clicking on the link at the end of this article).

Later we acquired another rock crystal example, and these two are the only inside painted bottles that we have. I think that this one is quite remarkable, as the interior space is so limited, it is hard to imagine how such a beautiful painting was achieved on one surface without completely ruining the other.

It originally would have been a rather poorly made double bottle. I do not know if the damaged half that has been removed was done so before it was painted, but I believe that it would have been. This was a very badly hollowed out bottle, of little value, before it was painted.

To my mind it is the fact that it was so poorly hollowed that makes the painting even more amazing! Have a look at the photograph. A continuous scene of fish amongst aquatic plants was painted in red, gold, pink; white, green and grisaille dated 1896 and signed Chu Chan-Yuan. This crystal has a natural flaw in the stone that adds to the under water appeal of this picture. (See the photograph by clicking on the link at the end of this article).

Most of the glass bottles purposely made for inside painting are much larger than this crystal one. Some of the paintings achieved however are hard to believe possible. There are even portraits that are so well done that they just look as good as black and white photographs!

The Charm of Antiques and Antique Daggers

Author: Marcia Henin
Antiques are old items, which people collect due to their age, utility and rarity. They show a previous era in the human society. Antiques are also defined as objects that display level of talent and artistry of ancient artisans.

Antique shops hold sales of historical items. Antique shops are kinds of retail stores, which specialize in antique trading. Antique collectors can locate these shops either locally or with the help of Internet.

People can get precious antique pieces from antique traders and auction programs online. The National Trade Association offers affiliation to almost every antique shop. In ancient times, any museum use to make a significant use of antiques to represent historical affairs and to give them a realistic effect.

Nearly any object may become as an antique, if it lasts for long. However, the things, which determine the value of an antique in the market is its appeal and public approval.

Antique Daggers:

They are very typical in the world of antique knives because of their secret nature. The term dagger itself denotes a sense of mystery, danger and mischief. Hence, in the world of knives, good historical daggers are very hard to locate and it is even more difficult to buy them.

The Khanjar model is a good example of historical daggers. Traditionally, people used Khanjars all through Arabic nations with blades that look like those used in North America.

Another charming thing about this historical dagger is its scabbard. The scabbard features two built-in crosses made of metal frames. A piece of black velvet or blue protective material separates these crosses.

These historical antique daggers hold distinct honors of religious symbols, which people carved on the handles made of ivory or on the blade. The blade, of artificial steel, is set just above the handle that signifies a certain religious order.

A good antique Khanjar model costs a couple of hundred dollars. However, there are attractive and cheap knives to collect. These ancient daggers not only tell a great, silent story, but also look excellent on the walls in homes or workplace.

Urdu Poetry

Author: Basit Habib
You may not know what Urdu poetry is if you are not familiar with Hindu and the traditions that comes with it. There are some questions that you may be asking yourself. What is Urdu poetry? How to find it? Why read it?

What Is Urdu Poetry?

This is a poetry that has been around for many years and there are many famous poets that have been doing it for many years. It’s really not that much different from American poetry except that you will need to know how to read Hindu or have a program that is able to read the language. It’s a very pretty way of looking at most things in the world and helps you to understand the things that are around you. If you have ever taken the time to read it, you will see what many people see in it when they do read it and finally understand what it is and why they should read it in the long run.

How Do You Find It?

When you start looking for Urdu poetry, you may notice that you will have a harder time finding it in most places. The Internet is going to be the best place to look for this kind of poetry. You will need to take the time to look for the good sites as well as finding the proper ways to read it. When you start looking for it you may also be able to find Urdu poetry in the library for check out and reading. You should check with your local library and find out if they have this kind of book or poetry. Your local library will most likely have a collection of works that you can read and understand with a little help and a little time to learn the language.

Why Should You Read It?

You will want to read this kind of poetry so that you can be a better rounded person. Knowing this kind of poetry will help you be happier and will help you to understand what you are looking for in poetry. Hindu poetry can be some of the most beautiful kinds to read and look at. Many people take for granted the need to be multicultural and understand more then one language. You can learn this great language at least enough to understand what you are reading and what you may want to see in it.

There are many things that you should think about when you are looking to read Urdu poetry because of the high cultural content that you can get from it. Many people look at this kind of poetry and then go on. They don’t want to take the time to understand what they can get out of it and what they could do with the knowledge that these poems can bring. You should take the time to learn what they are saying and what wonderful and new things you can learn from the poems themselves.

Most Recent Photographers Work

Author: Saatchi Gallery
The breadth and scope of the Saatchi Gallery’s influence in the world of art can be gauged by the variety of artistic genres to which it extends its facility. Saatchi extends all courtesies granted to artists also to a large number of photographers, and caters especially to those photo-artists who have gone unrecognised despite having produced consistently solid and meritorious work throughout their careers. The gallery bars no photographer on grounds of his/her cultural, national or ethnic background. Rather, cultural diversity is encouraged and fostered in the international artistic forum that the Saatchi Gallery has become. Photographers are welcome to upload their work to the website after completing a short registration process. Images should be uploaded as jpg files of a size no greater than 2 megabytes. Upon uploading, their work becomes viewable by the millions of viewers already frequenting the site, and accessible to the hundreds of art-oriented websites that link to Saatchi Online.
For any photographer, this resource is invaluable in its ability to vivify their career as an artist. All are given the freedom to create their own profiles online and upload up to eight (8) pieces that they believe are most representative of their artistic talent and creative posture. Photographers are also allowed the chance to make contact with those interested in their work, and this group may range from admirers to potential buyers. The gallery also enhances the networking capabilities of these photographers with respect both to their work and to the work of others in their field. It allows them the chance to converse with photographers and critics alike as a means of gaining inspiration or of improving the quality of their future work. Saatchi Online is therefore an indispensable tool for the improvement of artistic photography careers on an international scale.

Artistic Showdown at Saatchi Gallery

Author: Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery hosts its artist “Showdown” as a means of promoting and rewarding artists that demonstrate themselves as possessing extraordinary talent. It is also a means of getting popular opinion on the works of these up-and-coming artists. Over a one-week period, Saatchi accepts one piece of art work from each artist that chooses to enter the contest. Submissions are accepted between 9:00 a.m. on Monday until 6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday. Voting then begins, and each visitor to the site is allowed to rate the quality of each piece of work submitted. Visitors may vote on as many pieces as they wish, but are allotted only one vote for each individual piece. They indicate their preference for a particular work by rating it on a scale of one (1) to ten (10). After the scores are tallied, a duel begins between the two artists who have attained the highest scores. These two leaders vie for a chance to enter the final showdown, where the winners of twelve such rounds go head to head for the final prize of £1000 for the winner and £750 for the runner up.
Entrance into this event on the Saatchi website is free and easy, and it holds the promise of furthering the careers of not just the talented winners but also of the wide variety of talented entrants whose works will be seen by Saatchi’s large viewing audience. The competition is also a means of exposing young artists to the triumphs and pitfalls that are likely to attend them throughout their entire artistic career. Therefore, artists not only get the chance to benefit monetarily, but also the chance to develop as a professional businessperson.

Understanding the Design Tattoo

Author: Robert
Now more than ever, there is a fascination with design tattoos. They are rapidly becoming more and more popular. A design tattoo expresses your creativity, an in-depth look at your personality and who you really are, or possibly your interests.

In decades before, a simple tattoo of a rose or skull were considered cool. However, today a trendy tattoo is the design tattoo. It used to be the mainstream to have those places on your upper arm or other basic areas, but as time moves on people are having tattoos etched into all parts of the body, even eyelids!

There are a lot of people who go through most of their life and never get a tattoo, then when they are older they suddenly decide to take that step. These people have a lot of experience with life and generally will choose a design tattoo that has layers of meaning to it.

Those people who do jump in with both feet and get a permanent tattoo can be boiled down into two basic groups. The first group of people who get tattoos do so because it is persona. It symbolizes something and has a very special meaning. The others who get them only do so because it is the cool thing to do and everyone around them seems to already have one.

Tattooing can have a wide variety of usage and meanings. For instance, it is considered a very well known art that is part of religious ceremony and tradition. Japan is known to draw tattoos inspired by paintings and art; these Japanese design tattoos using symbols have steadily been gaining popularity. Although they are all beautiful pieces of work, it is important to understand the true meaning of the tattoo because it is going to be a part of you forever.

A tattoo is much more than just something to get because they are popular. If you choose to get one, hopefully it has inspiration to you and a special meaning. Tattooing is definitely a true art form.

My inspiration for this article was an article I wrote for the Modern Men Magazine mentioned in the Author field.

History of Abstract Art

By Damian Sofsian
Abstract art is a form of art in which an object or a form is developed in either a simplified way or an exaggerated manner. Abstract art is one of the major forms of art design which attracts a wide variety of people and art lovers. This form of art developed long back with a significant history comprising of various popular artists. Abstract landscape art, 3D abstract art, and fantasy abstract art are the most popular varieties of abstract art.

The three major forms of abstract art are cubism, neoplasticism, and abstract expressionism. Several artists are credited with the foundations of abstract art. Among those artists, the most famous cubists were Pablo Picasso and Georges. Piet Mondrian's works are one of the best examples of neoplasticism. Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock are excellent examples of abstract expressionism.

The history of abstract art involves more than 20,000 artists along with their interesting art backgrounds. Images and in-depth information of these artists are available in their biographies. History states that the abstract form of art design developed in the early 1900s. Neo-plasticism (1920-1940), abstract expressionism (1940-1955), conceptual art, contemporary realism, photorealism, and hyper realism (1960-1975), and neo-expressionism (1970-1990) are some of the major developmental stages in the history of abstract art.

Post-Modernism is a stage which began around 1975, and still considered very famous in abstract art form. Ancient history reveals the truth that abstract art had been used in decorations for textiles and pottery, even in the early twentieth century abstract patterns. In the twentieth century, abstract art type was widely accepted. The first original abstract art form was developed by Wassily Kandinsky in 1910. In 1912, he wrote a theory based on abstract art called On the Spiritual in Art. This theory stated that portrayed art should be based on spiritual realm, and not just the things we see ordinarily as the visual world.