C21 A plain, finely polished Yixing snuff bottle

Description

Description:  Chinese Yixing plain snuff bottle of flattened shape. This bottle has an exceptional polishing, making it similar to stone.

Mark:  No marks

Dating:  19^th century, probably Daoguang

Material:  Yixing ceramic.

Size:  62 mm high

Stopper:  Agate with broken ivory spoon

Provenance:  Antiquarian market

References:  See in the last picture a bottle of the Meriem Collection sold by Christies, although less polished and less patinated than this one.

Notes:  The burnishing/polishing of this bottle is so exceptional that many were convinced that it was made by stone. The inside is clearly showing the yixing nature.