Snuff Bottles

Inside Painted - One of the most famous and collectible types of snuff bottles is the inside or reverse painted. These little masterpieces are painted by reaching down through the neck of the bottle with a tiny curved brush or piece of bamboo. If painting through a quarter inch hole wasn't difficult enough, you also have to paint the object in reverse order since the first drop of paint to touch the glass will be in front of subsequent brush strokes. Thus the details must be painted before the subject. Eyes first, then face, then background. The "reverse" of how typical painters work.

Guyuexuan - "Ancient Moon Pavilion" is the translation for this style of bottle. It is named after the Imperial workshop that first created the method for making these bottles. Glass bottles are painted with enamels then fired in a kiln. What makes this process unique is that there is only a few degree difference between the temperature required to fuse the enamels to the glass and the temperature at which the bottle melts and collapses.

Bone

Glass - Guyuexuan

Inside Painted

Porcelain