| Firstly, we had decided that we would only collect | | | | pendants. We were instantly hooked!The first |
| antiques that we considered to be beautiful, | | | | pendant we bought was an exceptional piece and |
| secondly, the craftsmanship had to be outstanding | | | | had a lot of appeal, especially as the price was so |
| and thirdly we preferred to collect really unique | | | | much less than half the cost of a similar quality |
| treasures! By unique, we mean hand crafted, | | | | bottle! Admittedly no hollowing out was involved, |
| rather than mass-produced antiques such as rare | | | | in forming the pendant, but some pendants are |
| postage stamps. We also were inclined to prefer | | | | wonderfully undercut and the remarkable carving |
| the small Asian antiques that could easily be safely | | | | skills admired in snuff bottles were still very much |
| stored without taking up too much | | | | evident in these pendants.So that is how collecting |
| space.ANTIQUE SNUFF BOTTLES, PENDANTS | | | | pendants began, quite a while later we learnt that |
| AND JADE | | | | really fine pendants are surprisingly rare, far more |
| So we have been collecting (mostly at the top | | | | so, than top quality snuff bottles. The search was |
| end of the market) Chinese snuff bottles, | | | | on and whenever we found one, the price |
| pendants and jade carvings. All of these antiques | | | | remained much lower than an equivalent bottle. |
| are truly unique works of art, not always just | | | | Partly this was due to the fact that there were |
| because of being hand made, but also because of | | | | simply not as many pendant collectors as there |
| the materials used.We first came across Chinese | | | | were snuff bottle collectors. This fact did not |
| snuff bottles, in a small shop in London that had | | | | deter us!Just as with snuff bottles there are lots |
| quite a range of snuff bottles, but it was the | | | | of poor quality pendants (and modern copies) that |
| stone snuff bottles that particularly intrigued us. | | | | are very easy to find. But in this specialised |
| Not only had beautiful bottles been formed from | | | | antique collecting area, it is only the finest of the |
| a lump of rock that are incredibly well hollowed, | | | | antiques that are really worth collecting, both from |
| through such a tiny hole in the neck, but also they | | | | the satisfaction and pleasure derived from |
| managed to create pictures on some of these | | | | appreciating the superior quality of these carvings |
| bottles from the natural markings or inclusions | | | | but also from the investment point of view.JADE |
| that happened to be found within the stone. We | | | | When considering jade, little jade snuff bottles |
| decided these were worthy of a lot more study, | | | | and pendants are relatively far more expensive |
| as we were fascinated and the prices of the | | | | than the larger jade carvings, for the amount of |
| finest examples were within our reach.But how | | | | work and the size of stone one acquires, although |
| and why did we end up collecting pendants and | | | | the quality might be equally high. Years ago this |
| jade carvings having started with snuff bottles? | | | | was not the case, but now you can buy fine large |
| The real reason was due to what I call the | | | | carvings for not much more than you have to |
| constant changing of comparative values. These | | | | pay for the best little handling pieces.These |
| are what one evaluates by trying to compare the | | | | carvings are to be found in numerous forms such |
| craftsmanship involved with the current relative | | | | as animal sculptures, figures, bowls, boxes, |
| value.PENDANTS | | | | screens and boulder carvings. There are some |
| As an example, we once stopped buying snuff | | | | remarkable vases with lids attached by a chain |
| bottles for a while. This was partly because the | | | | that can consist of a large number of links, all |
| prices had suddenly escalated, at such an | | | | carved out of the one piece of rock. This is quite |
| incredible rate (this can happen now and then in | | | | amazing when one appreciates how hard and |
| any form of antique collecting), so it was very | | | | difficult Jade is to work with.Some fine pieces are |
| hard for us to accept paying so much more, for | | | | of a good colour and flawless material, others |
| just the same quality of bottles, as those we | | | | make good use of natural colours and markings |
| already owned. But there was also another | | | | found in the stone. The quality of the carving in |
| reason; it was about at this time that I had | | | | the 18th century of jade was really superb and |
| discovered (a dealer friend had shown me a small | | | | even some of the early 19th century pieces are |
| collection) the existence of very fine Chinese | | | | very fine, and in my view this is an area where |
| pendants. The very same artists, who had made | | | | there are still some good antique carvings to buy |
| the best snuff bottles, had also made these | | | | available. |