Antique Chinese Snuff Bottle Panel Pendant — Carved Bone, Lady with Flower Basket
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 lady in flowing robes carrying a basket of blossoms, framed by chrysanthemums, bamboo and garden rockwork, with water at her feet.
The silver surround follows the gentle curve of the original bottle wall and finishes in a softly flared bail across the top. The bone carries the warm honey tone and fine 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: 41.6 grams
- Origin: Chinese snuff bottle panel
- Era: Antique
- Type: Pendant
- Item Code: 894870
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this ivory?
No. The panel is bone. Bone and ivory look alike at a glance, but bone shows the fine dark striations visible 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 894870 · David’s Antiques & Jewelry, French Quarter, New Orleans.
