Chapter 18

ps: Thank you to the book friend 'khfkhc' for your generous support! I am very grateful!

Chapter 18: Kangxi Enamel Snuff Bottle

"Hehe, this little girl is still so well-behaved. Come, come to Grandpa Long!" As he spoke, Uncle Long took out a piece of White Rabbit milk candy from his pocket, shook it in front of the little girl, and said with a doting look on his face.

Seeing her favorite candy, the little girl's eyes lit up. She couldn't help but look up at her grandfather. After seeing the old man nod in approval, she ran over from his arms, extended her fair and tender little hand, and took the White Rabbit milk candy from Uncle Long, saying with a delighted voice, "Thank you, Grandpa Long!"

The little girl was quite polite, which made the old man even more fond of her, and he picked her up and placed her on his lap.

Seeing such a cute little girl, Liu Dong also felt a surge of affection. However, he didn't have any candy in his pocket, nor did he have any toys that children liked. As for money, he had plenty, but since it wasn't a holiday, taking it out would seem too abrupt.

Uncle Long and Old Li were both wise and experienced. From Liu Dong's conflicted expression, they could roughly guess what he was thinking. "Alright, Xiao Dong, you can make it up next time!" Uncle Long, who was closest to Liu Dong, spoke first.

"Hehe, children are just playing for fun, they don't need anything. You don't have to feel bad!" The old man waved his hand and smiled.

Hearing this, Liu Dong nodded, but he also made a mental note to bring a gift next time he came.

As they were talking, a middle-aged woman in a blue short-sleeved shirt came out of the house with a tea set.

"Xiao Zhang, change the tea leaves in here, then go to my room and brew my precious Da Hong Pao. Today I have distinguished guests to entertain!" Old Li took off the teapot lid, looked inside, and instructed.

"I understand, sir!" It was clear that the old man's servant was honest and straightforward. After hearing the instructions, she respectfully picked up the teapot and walked away.

"Young man, since you are Uncle Long's junior, you are also my junior. I will call you Xiao Dong, do you mind?"

Hearing this, Liu Dong quickly nodded and said, "Not at all, not at all! You are a senior in the field and an old friend of Uncle Long, so you can call me anything!"

"Alright, Old Li, this boy not only excels in carving but also has a great interest in collecting. If you have time in the future, you can give him more guidance. No need to be so formal!" Uncle Long, who was playing with the little girl in his arms, lifted his head and said. After spending so much time together, Uncle Long knew Liu Dong's interests very well. Mentioning them now to Old Li was a deliberate way to help him.

"As long as Xiao Dong is willing to learn, I will not hold back!" Li Renfang smiled and agreed.

Although it was their first meeting and they had only interacted for less than half an hour, Li Renfang had a very good impression of this polite young man. Moreover, since he was a junior of his old friend, Li Renfang understood that someone who could catch the eye of the discerning Uncle Long must have both good character and exceptional talent. Therefore, he was not stingy with his help within his capabilities.

Hearing this, Liu Dong couldn't help but feel overjoyed.

In the past three years, as he had been learning jade carving on his own, Liu Dong knew how important a good teacher was. Especially after obtaining his special ability, he was determined to pursue a career in collecting. A good teacher could greatly make up for his lack of experience and knowledge. After all, while his special ability was useful, it couldn't be relied on to convince others. He couldn't always attribute his success to luck.

"Thank you, Old Li!" Liu Dong's face was full of gratitude, but there was a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Having spent a long time with Uncle Long, Liu Dong understood the old generation's rules. Whether in ancient or modern times, craftsmen were very strict about passing on their skills. The rule of "passing down to sons but not daughters, passing down within the family but not outside" was something Uncle Long had mentioned to him many times. Therefore, Liu Dong was hesitant about whether to formally become a disciple of Old Li. Of course, he was willing, but he didn't know if Old Li would accept him.

"Xiao Dong, can you show me the snuff bottle you just bought?" Just as Liu Dong was hesitating, Old Li spoke up first.

"Of course, please take a look!" Saying this, Liu Dong quickly took out the snuff bottle he had bought on the street and placed it on the stone table in front of him.

"Really beautiful!" Old Li couldn't help but exclaim.

In fact, after buying it, Liu Dong had already cleaned the dust and dirt off the snuff bottle. So when he took it out, the beautiful, small, and vividly patterned glass snuff bottle immediately caught everyone's attention.

Snuff is a foreign import, but the snuff bottle is a genuine Chinese invention. During the Ming Dynasty, snuff began to flow into China in large quantities, usually in large glass bottles weighing from four ounces to one pound. To make it easier to carry and use, the Chinese generally kept snuff in small medicine bottles. By the early Qing Dynasty, the use of snuff became very popular, and snuff bottles made of hard wood, precious metals, and valuable wild buffalo horns began to appear.

Since China is a multi-ethnic country, some ethnic minorities, such as the Manchu and Mongolians, spent a lot of time living outdoors, so they required snuff bottles to be sturdy and practical. This was an important feature of early snuff bottles. Over time, snuff bottles gradually evolved from practical items to works of art and objects of appreciation. The Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns of the Qing Dynasty were the peak periods for snuff bottle production.

During the Qing Dynasty, the main production areas for snuff bottles were concentrated in Beijing, Guangzhou, Liaoning, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia. The production techniques evolved from simple to complex, from rough to fine, from plain to colored and engraved. Snuff bottles generally come in three sizes: large, medium, and small, with the best being those that are light and thin. The materials used include crystal, jade, agate, ivory, rhinoceros horn, buffalo horn, coral, enamel, porcelain, copper, and glass. The processing techniques include inner painting, relief carving, intaglio, relief, and overlay. Snuff bottles can be considered a synthesis of Chinese painting, carving, inlay, and jade, porcelain, enamel, and lacquer arts.

The most common material for snuff bottles is glass, also known as "material snuff bottles." During the Kangxi reign, a new overlay technique was invented, where red, blue, black, and other colors were added to a white or pink base. A white base with red and blue overlays became a four-color overlay, known as a single overlay. Another technique involved multiple overlays, such as adding blue on top of red on a white base. The best overlay snuff bottles were made during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns, although high-quality pieces were also produced in other periods.

The snuff bottle Liu Dong had found was an enamel-painted snuff bottle with a copper base and a glass body, featuring a lotus pond pattern. The copper lid was engraved with flowers, and the bottle was adorned with intricate red, blue, white, and green lotus patterns, showcasing the high level of craftsmanship in snuff bottle making at the time.

"The colors are fresh and lustrous, the patina is thick, the shape is perfect, the painting is detailed and complete, the bottle walls are smooth and flat, the transparency is high, and the carving is excellent. This is a genuine old piece!" Holding it in his hands, Old Li carefully examined it for a few minutes and couldn't help but praise it.

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