Chinese agate snuff bottle with jade top, ca 1850. The Chinese use the word "yu" to describe hard stone such as jade, agate, and serpentine. Agate is actually harder than jade and is a metallurgically crystalline material. It generally has a glassy surface and can have bright colors. This bottle is a beautiful example of how wonderful the natural stone can be. It has amber colored swirls in a light yellow body. The elegant form of the bottle is a testament to the carver's understanding of how simplicity is a good way to bring out the attractiveness of an inherent design.
