A SILHOUETTE AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
1750-1860
Of rectangular form with rounded shoulders and a cylindrical neck and with a neatly carved oval footrim, very well-hollowed, the honey-brown stone with darker brown inclusions polished on one main side with a bearded figure standing at the helm of his sampan and poling the boat through the waves, a moon in the sky above him, the reverse with similar inclusions resembling mountainous peaks in the distance; stopper.
2 5/8in (6.7cm) high
Footnotes:
1750-1860 瑪瑙影子月下漁人舢板圖鼻煙壺一件

Provenance:
Hugh Moss, May 1983
Joan and Ted Dorf Collection, no. 97

The term 'eyeball agate', as oppose to the gemologist's term of 'eye' agate, was coined in the seventies by Hugh Moss, and is specific to snuff bottle collectors. It does not refer to a particular type of stone but to agate bottles where the eye or eyes of the subject matter are enhanced by polishing the darker inclusion. Often this is done by the carver when depicting fish or birds which appear to easily lend themselves to the abstract silhouettes lying deep within the stone. On this masterful bottle the design is very clear and more complex, clearly showing the figure at the helm of a sampan. This has been achieved with minimal polishing to the edges of the design yet the carver has produced a superb rendition showing not only the movement of the boat but also the finer details such as the banner waving in the wind.

There is a small neck chip that has been polished, and some tiny inner mouth frits. The stone is masterfully carved and extremely well hollowed.