The world has full of talents - be they architects, engineers, artists, dancers, singers, inventors and so on. For me to have my daughter drawn from a picture inside a snuff bottle not bigger than 4 cm in breadth is so incredible! This is my gift to her - the only one that exists in this whole wide world, painted by a famous artist in China.
Snuff bottles collectors are getting sophisticated and the variety that are coming into the market out of China are many. Few can be considered as collectables. Most will pass off as amateurish souvenirs. Most literature available today on snuff bottles is mainly in the Chinese language. Those that are available in English itself has become a collectable, as they are not available commercially.
I was advised by my collector friend, and I think it is of great wisdom is to BUY that which you truly like and want to be part of your life - an admirable companion. Otherwise, it really does not matter how much it costs, if you do not like the inside art that is trying to tell you the story.
Indeed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Use a magnifying glass to dissect this "beauty" to see the fine drawing of hair, veins, muscles or the expression in the picture. Some artists can draw human expression that is so realistic that you feel you could be part of that emotion. Do visit exhibitions in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, if you have some interest. If you are lucky and know friends as collectors; go and view their collections.
If you are truly into it, you can even commission the artist, provided you know him well enough to draw paintings that you like. They will be very costly. But you cannot take your wealth along with you. Why not, just spend it wisely and enjoy the fruit of that expense?
This is just the tip of the iceberg to start you thinking about what is important in your life.
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