Sino-Tibetan Gold, silver-plated metal, turquoise, coral and glass Sino-Tibetan snuff box in bone and silvered metal, inlaid with turquoise, coral and glass - 65 mm
15
days
16
hours
23
minutes
41
seconds
Current bid
€ 111
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 400 - € 500
 | €111 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €1 |
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A Sino-Tibetan carved bone and silver snuff bottle inlaid with turquoise, coral and glass, dating to the late Qing period to the early 20th century (c. 1875–1925), with a silver spoon-cap and intricate pierced decoration, dimensions 65 × 39 × 28 mm and weight 65.6 g.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Sino-Tibetan bone and silvered metal snuff bottle, richly inlaid with turquoise, coral and glass elements, dated to the late Qing Dynasty and the early 20th century, circa 1875–1925.
Flattened pear-shaped form, this small snuff bottle stands out for the richness of its composite construction. Two substantial side plates in polished bone are integrated into a wholly worked silvered metal mount bearing delicate openwork and filigreed motifs, with beaded borders and vegetal decorations. Both faces are animated by numerous red and blue-green cabochons arranged in geometric and floral compositions, giving the whole a striking polychrome presence despite its small size.
The neck and foot are also specially crafted, with several successive decorative registers. The base is closed by a metal plate adorned with a repoussé floral medallion.
The snuff bottle preserves mainly its spoon stopper, in silvered metal and topped by a blue-green cabochon. The spoon is perfectly adapted to the neck and opening of the vial. The preservation of this functional ensemble is a notable feature for this type of object, as stoppers and spoons have frequently been lost or replaced over time.
This piece well illustrates the intercultural character of the snuff bottle world: the form and function align with Chinese tradition developed under the Qing, while the bone construction, the abundance of worked metal, and the decorative use of turquoise and coral strongly reflect Tibetan artistic vocabulary. The Sino-Tibetan attribution thus appears the most balanced.
The piece also has an interesting provenance. It comes from the former collection of José Luís de Azevedo Barreto Sachetti (1933–2011), a senior officer and pilot in the Portuguese Air Force, who, from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, assembled a collection of African and Asian art and antiquities including a notable set of Chinese snuff bottles. The piece then passed down through descendants before joining a private Belgian collection. According to the sale documentation, the spoon bears the inventory number “183” from that collection.
The object is presented in good overall condition considering its age and delicate manufacture. Normal signs of use are present, with a few small losses or wear to the inlays, minor manufacturing irregularities, and a few small indentations in the metal. Yet the piece retains excellent decorative legibility and a pleasing overall harmony.
Dimensions: height 6.5 cm, width about 3.9 cm, depth about 2.8 cm.
Weight: 65.6 g.
Neck diameter: 18 mm.
Opening diameter: 9 mm.
A particularly interesting piece for a collector wishing to explore the very specialized world of snuff bottles: it combines aesthetic quality, original construction, good overall condition, preserved spoon-stopper, and identifiable provenance, all while remaining within an accessible price range.
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateSino-Tibetan bone and silvered metal snuff bottle, richly inlaid with turquoise, coral and glass elements, dated to the late Qing Dynasty and the early 20th century, circa 1875–1925.
Flattened pear-shaped form, this small snuff bottle stands out for the richness of its composite construction. Two substantial side plates in polished bone are integrated into a wholly worked silvered metal mount bearing delicate openwork and filigreed motifs, with beaded borders and vegetal decorations. Both faces are animated by numerous red and blue-green cabochons arranged in geometric and floral compositions, giving the whole a striking polychrome presence despite its small size.
The neck and foot are also specially crafted, with several successive decorative registers. The base is closed by a metal plate adorned with a repoussé floral medallion.
The snuff bottle preserves mainly its spoon stopper, in silvered metal and topped by a blue-green cabochon. The spoon is perfectly adapted to the neck and opening of the vial. The preservation of this functional ensemble is a notable feature for this type of object, as stoppers and spoons have frequently been lost or replaced over time.
This piece well illustrates the intercultural character of the snuff bottle world: the form and function align with Chinese tradition developed under the Qing, while the bone construction, the abundance of worked metal, and the decorative use of turquoise and coral strongly reflect Tibetan artistic vocabulary. The Sino-Tibetan attribution thus appears the most balanced.
The piece also has an interesting provenance. It comes from the former collection of José Luís de Azevedo Barreto Sachetti (1933–2011), a senior officer and pilot in the Portuguese Air Force, who, from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, assembled a collection of African and Asian art and antiquities including a notable set of Chinese snuff bottles. The piece then passed down through descendants before joining a private Belgian collection. According to the sale documentation, the spoon bears the inventory number “183” from that collection.
The object is presented in good overall condition considering its age and delicate manufacture. Normal signs of use are present, with a few small losses or wear to the inlays, minor manufacturing irregularities, and a few small indentations in the metal. Yet the piece retains excellent decorative legibility and a pleasing overall harmony.
Dimensions: height 6.5 cm, width about 3.9 cm, depth about 2.8 cm.
Weight: 65.6 g.
Neck diameter: 18 mm.
Opening diameter: 9 mm.
A particularly interesting piece for a collector wishing to explore the very specialized world of snuff bottles: it combines aesthetic quality, original construction, good overall condition, preserved spoon-stopper, and identifiable provenance, all while remaining within an accessible price range.
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Culture
Sino-Tibetan
Century/timeframe
XIXe–XXe siècle – fin de la dynastie Qing / début du XXe siècle, vers 1875–1925
Name of object
Sino-Tibetan snuff box in bone and silvered metal, inlaid with turquoise, coral and glass
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
2023
Material
Gold, silver-plated metal, turquoise, coral and glass
Country acquired from
Portugal
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Gallery / Antique dealer
Height
65 mm
Previous owner - year acquired
1968
Width
39 mm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Portugal
Depth
28 mm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
