Signed Chinese Interior Reverse Painted Snuff Bottle

Item Description:

This is a vintage Chinese inside-painted crystal snuff bottle, featuring a meticulously hand-painted scene of five tigersamidst a natural landscape. The artwork is executed on both the front and back interior surfaces, a technique requiring exceptional dexterity and mirror-reversed brushwork. The bottle is sealed with a carved light green jadeite stoppershaped like a Foo Dog (guardian lion), and includes a bone or faux bone spoon attached to the cork.

Features & Details:

• Medium: Hand-painted from inside a clear crystal or glass bottle (reverse painting on the inside).
• Dimensions: Approximately 5" high x 3.5" wide.
• Stopper: Carved jadeite (light green translucent), shaped as a Chinese guardian lion (Foo Dog).
• Spoon: Bone or possibly faux ivory, attached with a cork insert.
• Decoration: Vivid tiger imagery with naturalistic surroundings, signed in Chinese characters on both sides, along with a red seal (chop mark).
• Condition: Appears mint and unused, excellent clarity and no wear on the painted surfaces or stopper.

Art Historical Context:

This is a fine example of a 20th-century Chinese inside-painted snuff bottle—a traditional art form that began in the Qing Dynasty (circa 18th century) and continued into the Republic and modern periods. These bottles, once functional, have long since evolved into decorative and collectible miniatures.

The level of detail and balance in the tiger painting (with dynamic poses, rich coloration, and expressive faces) suggests it was created by a skilled studio artist, likely from Beijing or Inner Mongolia, where such bottles are still crafted.

The use of multiple tigers symbolically conveys strength, power, and protection, making this a popular motif during Year of the Tiger or for collectors of Chinese zodiac iconography.

Date & Authenticity:

• Most likely 1980s–1990s, based on style, clarity of glass, stopper carving, and comparison to similar Hong Kong export items.
• The signature and red seal suggest it may be the work of a known artist or workshop; further research using Chinese auction records could narrow this down.
• The bottle is authentic, though not antique (i.e., not 100+ years old).

Value Estimate (2025 Market):

Type of Sale

Estimated Value (USD)

Retail/Gallery Price

$125 – $250

eBay/Folk Art Market (Sold listings)

$80 – $150

Collector Sale (Artist-Identified)

$250 – $400 (if artist recognized)

Comparable Listings:

• Interior-painted snuff bottles with jade tops from the 1980s–1990s typically list between $75 and $300, depending on the subject matter and condition.
• Bottles with animal motifs (especially tigers) command a premium due to symbolic and zodiacal associations.

Authentication & Recommendations:

• Artist Identification: The bottle is signed in Chinese characters, which might correspond to a known reverse-painting artist. A Chinese art appraiser or auction house (e.g., Bonhams, Poly Auction, or China Guardian) could assist in translating and verifying the artist name.
• Professional Appraisal: If you plan to insure, sell, or feature this as part of a collection, a professional appraisal is advised, especially to verify the jade material.

Conclusion:

This inside-painted Chinese crystal snuff bottle is a high-quality decorative piece in excellent condition, with collectible appeal due to its detailed imagery, cultural symbolism, and craftsmanship. While it may not be an antique, its artistic value, condition, and potential jade stopper contribute to a strong mid-range collectible value.

Item Overview:

• Type: Lidded ceramic box (possibly for trinkets, jewelry, or tobacco)
• Design Period: Art Nouveau, circa 1900–1909
• Maker (Attributed): Likely Carl Sigmund Luber (1871–1947), a German ceramic artist known for his work with Schlaggenwald, Royal Bayreuth, and other Bohemian/German firms. While attribution to Luber is strong based on stylistic cues, the box is unsigned aside from a mold number.

Visual and Stylistic Analysis:

• Lid Scene: The raised and painted image on the domed lid depicts a charming Dutch boy and girl in traditional dress. The pastoral setting, windmill, and poplar trees reinforce the romanticized folk themes popular in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) period.
• Side Decoration: Raised red holly leaves with sinuous stems on all four sides, a classic Art Nouveau motif, blending natural forms with decorative rhythm.
• Color Palette: Olive green body with deep red holly and multicolored figures; the glazes have a slightly matte finish characteristic of early 20th-century German and Austro-Hungarian ceramics.
• Interior: Glazed cream-colored interior; underside of lid is unglazed.
• Base Markings:
  • Mold or form number 8591 impressed.
  • Additional faint factory or decorator mark.

These characteristics are consistent with production from Austro-Hungarian or Bohemian workshops, where Carl Sigmund Luber often designed.

Condition:

• Excellent overall: No visible chips, cracks, or repairs.
• Minor glaze irregularities (notably the “paint drip” under green glaze) are common in hand-finished ceramic from this era and do not detract from value.
• Interior and structural integrity are strong.

Authentication Notes:

• While the box is unsigned by Luber, the design bears strong similarities to known works by him and his contemporaries in Bohemia or Bavaria, especially in ceramics made for export by:
  • Schlaggenwald Porcelain Factory
  • Royal Bayreuth
  • Zsolnay or lesser-known German Majolica workshops

The impressed mold number 8591 is typical of early 20th-century mass mold cataloging systems used by these manufactories.

Estimated Market Value (as of 2025):

Venue / Market

Estimated Value (USD)

Retail or Gallery Price

$175 – $275

Auction (U.S. or Online)

$100 – $180

Private Collector / Art Nouveau

$200 – $300 (if confirmed Luber)

Comparable Items:

• Similar Art Nouveau ceramic boxes with figural lids and molded decoration (unmarked) typically sell for $125–$200.
• Boxes attributed to or signed by Luber have sold for $250–$400, especially with scenes of children, rural life, or Art Nouveau nature motifs.

Professional Appraisal Recommendation:

✔ A professional ceramic or European decorative arts appraiser could further authenticate the attribution to Luber or identify the exact maker using mold number databases.

• Suggested resources:
  • Kovels
  • Schiffer’s Antique Ceramics guides
  • Auction houses specializing in Jugendstil/Art Nouveau (e.g., Bonhams or Dorotheum)

Summary:

This is a well-preserved and charming Art Nouveau era ceramic box, very likely Central European and possibly by or inspired by Carl Sigmund Luber. Its folk-art scene, naturalistic motifs, and period-specific glaze make it highly desirable to collectors of Jugendstil and turn-of-the-century European ceramics.