Chinese Snuff Bottle Collecting

The Snuff Bottle Community Forum is dedicated to the novice, more experienced, and expert collectors. Topics cover all aspects and types of bottle collecting. To include trials, tribulations, evaluating, identifying, researching, appraisals, and much more. We are also currently working extra hard towards creating special, well deserved recognition, acknowledgement, and support of all student artists of inside painted bottles.

Still researchibng this one... Took a spur of the moment chance on a "buy now" brand new listing from UK eBay. I think it is super interesting and a great new addition to my small but growing collection !







Another just added is this very nicely painted bottle.

Painted during Autumn 1892, in peking, Zhou(Chou) Le-yuan

Not being an expert by any means, I am looking for either an online or book resource for studying the red seal marks seen on many of the inside painted bottles.

Interested in learning where to find more about how they can be compared against verified locations. Capitals, schools, etc..

If you know of anything at all, please let me know .. !

Of all the characters it seems like I stumble upon one of the Eight Immortals quite often.

Click on this one snuff bottle image to the right of Zhong-Li Quan to view the other seven Immortals.

ZHONG-LI QUAN ( CHUNG-LI CHUAN )
This is the familiar Fat Man with his bare belly showing. He always carries a fan and sometimes a peach. He is also considered the Chief of the Immortals.

CAO GUO-JUI ( TS'AO KUO-CHIU )
The finest dressed of the Eight Immortals. He is always shown wearing formal court dress and carrying castinets.

ZUANG GUOLAO ( CHANG KUO-LAO )
He is represented as an Old Man riding a donkey. (Sometimes Backwards)
He is usually carrying two drumsticks. Legend has it that at the end of his journeys, he could fold up his donkey like a piece of paper and store him in his wallet.
When he was ready to travel again he would sprinkle water on his wallet and the Donkey would reappear

LI TIE-GUAI ( LI TIEH-KUAI )
He is the most recognizable of the Eight Immortals. He is depicted as a lame beggar carrying a double gourd. Legend explains his lame state as follows. His spirit would frequently leave his body to wander the land and heavens. One day his body was found and thought to be dead. It was burned, as was traditional. When he returned from his journey to find his body gone, he entered the first body he found...that of a lame beggar.

LU DONG-BIN ( LU TUNG-PIN )
Upon his back he wears a magic sword used to slay dragons and demons. In his hand he carries a fly brush. He is said to have traveled the earth for over 400 years slaying dragons.

HE XIAN-GU ( HO HSIEN-KU )
One of two female Immortals, He Xian-Gu carries with her a magical Lotus flower. She was brought into the group of Immortals by Lu Dong-Bin after he rescued her from a demon with his magic sword.

LAN CAI-HE ( LAN TS'AI-HO )
The second woman amongst the Immortals is always shown wearing a tattered blue gown and only one shoe. A basket of flowers is her symbol, and is usually carried with her.

HAN XIANG-ZI ( HAN HSIANG-TSU )
This is the happy Immortal that is always seen playing a flute. It is said that Han could make flowers bloom with just his will, and soothe wild animals with her music.