Antique Chinese Snuff Bottle Panel Pendant — Carved Bone in Sterling Silver
A panel from an antique Chinese snuff bottle, rescued and bezel-set as a pendant in sterling silver. The carved bone face is hand-incised with fine line work and ink-filled in the scrimshaw manner — a garden scene with two figures in flowing robes beneath willow fronds, a songbird perched on the railing beside them.
The silver surround follows the gentle curve of the original bottle wall, finished with a softly flared bail across the top. The bone has the warm tone and faint natural striations that only come with age.
One of a kind. When it sells, we cannot replace it.
Specifications
- Panel: Antique carved bone, hand-incised and ink-filled
- Mount: Sterling Silver
- Total weight: 33.1 grams
- Origin: Chinese snuff bottle panel
- Era: Antique
- Type: Pendant
- Item Code: 894869
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this ivory?
No. The panel is bone. Bone and ivory look similar to the eye, but bone shows the fine dark striations you can see in the photographs — the remnants of blood vessel channels — which ivory does not have. We do not sell ivory.
What is a snuff bottle panel?
Chinese snuff bottles were small lidded vessels, often built from carved panels. When a bottle is damaged beyond repair, a surviving decorated panel can be set as jewelry — which is exactly what this is.
How do I care for it?
Keep it dry and away from direct heat. Wipe the silver with a soft polishing cloth, avoiding the bone panel; never use chemical dips or ultrasonic cleaners on an antique organic material.
Item 894869 · David’s Antiques & Jewelry, French Quarter, New Orleans.
