治潁珍藏 | ZhiYing Collection | 水晶,髮晶,紫晶鼻烟壸 | Quartz Snuff Bottles

The Chinese culture has always regard clear and flawless quartz as “the elite among stones”. This is because the Chinese once believed that rock crystal is water at its purest form that remain frozen for thousands of years.

Rock crystal, a colorless gemstone, is one of the most abundant and commonest quartz on earth. Nevertheless, this crystal clear and pure gemstone has evoked the link between mankind and heaven due to its appearance. Rock crystal has also inspired Chinese to associate the gemstone to everlasting perseverance, Zen and peaceful way of life.

Other than the clear form, a group of quartz is known as “hair crystal” because of the hair like minerals trapped in the matrix of the quartz crystalline. For instance, black needles are due to tourmaline, red and gold due to rutile, and actinolite gave rise to the green coloration “hair”.

Another commonly seen quartz is known as amethyst. This beautiful quartz has purple crystalline and therefore appear as a stone with purple coloration. Smoky quartz exists from a tinge of brownish grey coloration to almost opaque black color. This is because of carbonaceous and organic material in the crystalline structure of the quartz.

Chinese artisans have been using quartz of different types as the material for snuff bottles since snuffing became popular during the Qing dynasty. The gemstone is a suitable material for a snuff container because of its clearness and the durability. As a result, quartz snuff bottles come in all shapes and variety. Some quartz bottles are extensively carved while as others are left clean and not decorated to bring out the Zen in the gemstone.

Inside painting artist has also use quartz bottles of different material and inclusion to create their intricate art. The first person to utilized quartz bottle with inclusion to create an inside painted bottle is Ye Zhong San. For example, Ye used a hair crystal bottle for his painting of fishes in a pond. In addition to his painting, the black crystalline needle of the quartz bottle became part of the painting, forming the debris and foliage in the pond.

No matter carved or left blank. A well hollowed and neatly done quartz snuff bottle will always be a beauty in one’s collection.