Glen Park Canyon and Meeting of Northern California Snuff Bottle Society
Vincent Falcone is the president of the N California Snuff Bottle Society, which met at the president's home in Glen Canyon. I took the BART from East Bay and then walked through the canyon to the residence through eucalyptus trees and boulders, with joggers and dog walkers...much more fun than a taxi or car ride, though I did appreciate the return lift from our host's son, Aaron, who lives in Healdsberg. A good time was had by all. Our topic was jade snuff bottles. My best examples are in Baltimore, which is where, coincidentally, the North American Snuff Bottle Society has its headquarters. I brought two examples. One was an "unfinished bottle" in nephrite, not completely hollowed out, and not completely engraved...what an interesting outcome. The other is a nice example of a small bottle, with the original stopper which everyone admired. I learned that the hollowing out of a snuff bottle is crucial to its quality, and indicates whether it was actually used or not. Those which were meant to be used are the most valuable.
We also looked at glass imitating jade; the only way to discern the difference is the look of the crystal - glass will have air bubbles, unless camouflagued. The other method, which is mine, by nature, is simply the feel. A lovely snuff bottle has a lovely texture! Nephrite is very silky. Serpentine is an imitation. It is so nice to collect something one can hold in the palm of one's hand, and which has so much variety. I became interested in these, when they were plentiful in the market in HK, about 20 years ago. Then, when working as the guest curator at the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, I participated at festivals and special events at the museum, in the passing of the snuff bottle, and this made it more "real" in its role to me. Mongols still employ the snuff bottle in a practical sense and for ceremony.
We also looked at glass imitating jade; the only way to discern the difference is the look of the crystal - glass will have air bubbles, unless camouflagued. The other method, which is mine, by nature, is simply the feel. A lovely snuff bottle has a lovely texture! Nephrite is very silky. Serpentine is an imitation. It is so nice to collect something one can hold in the palm of one's hand, and which has so much variety. I became interested in these, when they were plentiful in the market in HK, about 20 years ago. Then, when working as the guest curator at the Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, I participated at festivals and special events at the museum, in the passing of the snuff bottle, and this made it more "real" in its role to me. Mongols still employ the snuff bottle in a practical sense and for ceremony.
 |
| Collector's bottle in the shape of a teapot; charming! |
 |
| Two lovely white jade bottles, one with a poem |
 |
| North CA Chair, Vince Faucone and his won, Aaron |
 |
| The Eucalyptus grove |
 |
| Hill and Boulders |
 |
| Eucalyptus Trees |
 |
| Long shadow on this walk to Crags Court The Diamond Heights neighborhood occupies 325 acres of craggy, hilly terrain with the 320 ft deep Glen Canyon with stairways to the various neighborhoods from its depths to its top. |
Comments
Post a Comment