Rock crystal is a very hard colourless quartz, that provides an excellent medium for carving, and has been used for this purpose since antiquity. The name is derived from the Greek word for ice (krystallos) and the name crystal (as in manufactured glass) was derived from it. It was used for the making of cups, salts, caskets, jewellery, snuff bottles and other small decorative objects although the carving was a time-consuming process due to its hardness.

52 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

If you are seeking to purchase similar items CLICK HERE to view 8 similar items being offered for sale by dealers at our AntiquesPlus site.

Chinese Qing Dynasty amber glass snuff bottle and stopper, c.…

Qing Dynasty Amber Glass Snuff Bottle with Rock Crystal Stopper

Chinese Qing Dynasty amber glass snuff bottle and stopper, c.1840, of baluster form, set with a rock crystal stopper, on oval foot, height 6 cm. Provenance: collection of gentleman, Sydney

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle; Qing Dynasty…

Qing Dynasty Carved Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle; Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), 19th century; of flattened ovoid form, the front carved utilising a pale green coloured 'Skin' with a squirrel in a grape vine, the reverse carved in low relief with a pine tree.…

An antique Chinese rock crystal turtle snuff bottle with mauve…

19th Century Chinese Rock Crystal Turtle Snuff Bottle

An antique Chinese rock crystal turtle snuff bottle with mauve hues & turquoise stopper, 19th century, length 8 cm

An antique Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle depicting…

Chinese Carved Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle with Jade Stopper

An antique Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle depicting exotic flowers with spinach jade stopper, 19th century, height 6 cm

Chinese hand painted crystal snuff bottle, hand painted…

Hand-painted Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottle with Butterfly Decoration

Chinese hand painted crystal snuff bottle, hand painted internal butterfly decoration, with greenstone stopper, in fitted case, height 10 cm

An inside painted glass snuff bottle and a rock crystal snuff…

Late Qing Dynasty Snuff Bottles: Inside Painted & Rock Crystal

An inside painted glass snuff bottle and a rock crystal snuff bottle, Late Qing dynasty the inside painted snuff bottle attributed to Sun Xingwu (active 1894-1900), and dated winter of xinchou year (1901), 7.1 cm high, 6 cm high (2).

Boxed set six Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated…

Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottles with Internal Beauty Decorations

Boxed set six Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated internally with beauties, height 8 cm approx. each

Boxed set four Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated…

Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottle Set with Internal Beauty Decoration

Boxed set four Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated internally with beauties, height 8 cm approx. each

Boxed set four Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated…

Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottle Set with Internal Figure Decorations

Boxed set four Chinese crystal snuff bottles each decorated internally with figures, height 8 cm approx. each

Six Chinese snuff bottles, inside painted crystal & porcelain.…

Chinese Snuff Bottles from Hutcheon Estate

Six Chinese snuff bottles, inside painted crystal & porcelain. Provenance: The Residual of the Hutcheon's Estate. The Hutcheons lived in Shanghai & Hong Kong in the early & mid 20th century before moving to Sydney, height 7.5 cm, diameter 4 cm

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved with a lotus flower…

Lotus Carved Crystal Snuff Bottle with Coral Stopper

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved with a lotus flower and leaves, with a coral stopper, height 7.5 cm.

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved in relief with a…

Chinese Rock Crystal Sage Snuff Bottle

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved in relief with a sage in a landscape, duck-egg blue colour stone stopper, height 7 cm

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved in low relief with…

Dragon Character Carved Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle

A Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle, carved in low relief with auspicious 'dragon characters', height 7.5 cm.

Chinese interior painted crystal snuff bottle interior painted…

Floral Interior Painted Crystal Snuff Bottle with Stopper

Chinese interior painted crystal snuff bottle interior painted floral decoration, crystal stopper, height 6 cm approx.

Four Chinese snuff bottles, rock crystal, two transparent amber…

Chinese Snuff Bottles Collection

Four Chinese snuff bottles, rock crystal, two transparent amber glass & a blue glass bottle, height 6 - 8 cm

A Chinese inside painted crystal snuff bottle, signed Ma…

Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottle with Ma Shaoxuan's Painting (9cm)

A Chinese inside painted crystal snuff bottle, signed Ma Shaoxuan [1867-1939], cyclical date, the winter of Wuchen year, 1928, titled the water margin to the front with warriors' farewell on the shore, a poem to the reverse, height 9 cm

Three Chinese rock crystal snuff bottles, one in the form of a…

Chinese Rock Crystal Snuff Bottles with Animal Carvings

Three Chinese rock crystal snuff bottles, one in the form of a three legged frog, one carved with lotus and the other carved with kylin (3)

Chinese clear rock crystal snuff bottle, 8.5 cm high, 3.5 cm…

Chinese Clear Crystal Snuff Bottle, 8.5cm High

Chinese clear rock crystal snuff bottle, 8.5 cm high, 3.5 cm wide

Two Chinese snuff bottles, one red and white Peking glass, the…

Chinese Snuff Bottles: Peking Glass and Rock Crystal

Two Chinese snuff bottles, one red and white Peking glass, the other of rock crystal, both with original stoppers.

A large and varied collection of Chinese hard-stone snuff…

Chinese Hard-Stone Snuff Bottle Collection (28)

A large and varied collection of Chinese hard-stone snuff bottles including agate, malachite, amethyst crystal and chalcedony bottles (28)

A rock crystal snuff bottle 18th/19th century, the well…

Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle with Coral and Pearl Stopper

A rock crystal snuff bottle 18th/19th century, the well hollowed bottle of long, gently tapered form, with a coral and natural pearl stopper, 7.1 cm high.

Three various Chinese snuff bottles including ceramic, with…

Assorted Chinese Snuff Bottles with Stoppers

Three various Chinese snuff bottles including ceramic, with applied decoration, (missing stopper); crystal, with metal stopper; and agate with carved coral stopper. Height 6 cm, (average).

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle and stopper, of baluster form,…

Carved Chinese Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle and stopper, of baluster form, carved with figures and bats, height 7.2 cm

Antique fine hair crystal snuff bottle

Antique Crystal Snuff Bottle with Fine Hair Design

Antique fine hair crystal snuff bottle

An interior painted rock crystal snuff bottle, with fish among…

Painted Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle with Fish and Weeds

An interior painted rock crystal snuff bottle, with fish among water weeds, an inscription in black and a red seal to both sides, stopper, 5.5 cm high

A black glass snuff bottle with gold Flecks & a crystal bottle,…

Black Glass Snuff Bottle with Gold Flecks & Crystal Bottle

A black glass snuff bottle with gold Flecks & a crystal bottle, 19th/20th century, well hollowed translucent bottle with a textured interior & flat bottom, both with jade stoppers [2], height 6 cm

A fine inside painted crystal snuff bottle, Kittens at Play in…

Inside Painted Crystal Snuff Bottle: Kittens at Play

A fine inside painted crystal snuff bottle, Kittens at Play in a garden, inscribed, Tuo Yang Xuan Studio, 2003, Han de series of animals, height 8 cm

Three Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 6 cm and 6.4…

Chinese Rock Crystal Snuff Bottles (Set of 3)

Three Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 6 cm and 6.4 cm high (3). Provenance: Singapore private collection

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle, 6.2 cm high.…

Chinese Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle, 6.2 cm high. Provenance: Singapore private collection

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle, 6.2 cm high.…

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle from Singapore collection

A Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottle, 6.2 cm high. Provenance: Singapore private collection

Two Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 19th century to…

Chinese Rock Crystal Snuff Bottles (2)

Two Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 19th century to Republic period, 6.3 cm and 7.5 cm high (2). Provenance: Singapore private collection

A Chinese inside-painted 'tiger' rock crystal snuff bottle,…

Chinese Tiger Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle by Liu Shouben

A Chinese inside-painted 'tiger' rock crystal snuff bottle, attributed to Liu Shouben, dated by inscription 1969, 7.5 cm high. Provenance: Singapore private collection() ''

A Chinese inside-painted 'George Washington' rock crystal snuff…

Chinese George Washington Rock Crystal Snuff Bottle

A Chinese inside-painted 'George Washington' rock crystal snuff bottle, attributed to Ma Shaoxuan, 7.5 cm high. Provenance: Singapore private collection

Two Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 5.4 cm and 5.6…

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottles from private collection

Two Chinese carved rock crystal snuff bottles, 5.4 cm and 5.6 cm high (2). Provenance: Singapore private collection. Note: Bottles with faceted panels were made in majority of glass, and less frequently in jade and hard stone. The shape, popular during…

Chinese crystal snuff bottle. Inside painted, lion & tiger…

Chinese Lion and Tiger Crystal Snuff Bottle with Agate Stopper

Chinese crystal snuff bottle. Inside painted, lion & tiger decoration. Agate topped stopper, (top loose).

A rock crystal snuff bottle with a glass stopper, 19th/20th…

Crystal snuff bottle with bat and qilong carvings

A rock crystal snuff bottle with a glass stopper, 19th/20th century, finely carved with bats & a qilong on front & reverse, height 7.5 cm. Provenance: private South African collection

A smoky crystal snuff bottle, 18th-19th century, well hollowed…

Smoky Crystal Snuff Bottle with Jadeite Stopper

A smoky crystal snuff bottle, 18th-19th century, well hollowed with Jadeite stopper, 6.3 cm high. Provenance: The property of the late Sir Tristan and Lady Antico

Three various Chinese snuff bottles, including 2 various…

Chinese Snuff Bottles Collection

Three various Chinese snuff bottles, including 2 various crystal, inside painted, with stoppers; & 1 bone with stopper. Provenance: Estate Australian collector, height 9 cm (crystal) (each)

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle. Inside painted rural scene…

Chinese Crystal Snuff Bottle with Rural Scene

Chinese rock crystal snuff bottle. Inside painted rural scene with cattle, signed. Black hardstone stopper, height 7 cm

Two rock crystal snuff bottles, 19th century, the first, a…

19th Century Rock Crystal Snuff Bottles

Two rock crystal snuff bottles, 19th century, the first, a compressed bottle, well carved with flowers, the carver using the colour inclusions in the stone to enhance the decoration, the second bottle incised overall with shou characters, well hollowed,…

A box of 10 Chinese snuff bottles, 20th century, including…

Chinese Snuff Bottles Collection: 10 Pieces

A box of 10 Chinese snuff bottles, 20th century, including agate, rock crystal and glass (10)

A glass snuff bottle with artist signature, the crystal glass…

Floral Portrait Snuff Bottle by Renowned Artist

A glass snuff bottle with artist signature, the crystal glass interior painted with floral decoration and portrait of China's last Emperor, 8.5 cm high

An unusual rock crystal double snuff bottle, Qing dynasty, 19th…

Qing Dynasty Rock Crystal Double Snuff Bottle

An unusual rock crystal double snuff bottle, Qing dynasty, 19th century, the pear shaped body set with double animal mask and loose ring handles, with a smaller vase on one side, the black rimmed stoppers with lion and florette knops, (4), 14 cm high…

A rock crystal carved snuff bottle carved with fish and lotus,…

Fish and Lotus Crystal Snuff Bottle

A rock crystal carved snuff bottle carved with fish and lotus, 6 cm high

A hair crystal snuff bottle together with an agate snuff bottle…

Crystal and Agate Figurative Snuff Bottles

A hair crystal snuff bottle together with an agate snuff bottle each figurativley carved with contrast stoppers which are loose, the largest 6 cm high (2)

A group of five Chinese snuff bottles, Early to mid-20th…

Chinese Snuff Bottles, 20th Century, Various Materials and Techniques

A group of five Chinese snuff bottles, Early to mid-20th century, of various materials including agate, nephrite, and rock crystal, some carved, some inside-painted, each fitted with a stopper of hard stone, coral, or jadeite, box, varying from 6.7 cm to…

A rock crystal 'peach' snuff bottle Qing Dynasty, 19th century…

Qing Dynasty Rock Crystal Peach Snuff Bottle

A rock crystal 'peach' snuff bottle Qing Dynasty, 19th century the peach form body carved in relief on the exterior with two bats in flight beside further fruits growing from a branch around the shoulders, and with lingzhi extending onto the reverse,…

A Chinese quartz crystal snuff bottle, in clear saginetic…

Chinese Quartz Crystal Snuff Bottle with Tourmaline Needles and Fish

A Chinese quartz crystal snuff bottle, in clear saginetic crystal with striking needles of black tourmaline, the body with a delightfully carved gold fish in high relief, surmounted with a red carnelian stopper and with a bone spoon. Height 6 cm

A carved rock crystal 'god of prosperity' snuff bottle, the god,…

Carved Rock Crystal God of Prosperity Snuff Bottle

A carved rock crystal 'god of prosperity' snuff bottle, the god, or the lu star, finely carved with amicable expression, wearing flowing gown, his one hand holding a sceptre, the other the belt, the stopper in the form of a hat, 7.7 cm high. Provenance:…

Two carved rock crystal snuff bottles 19th century, one carved…

19th Century Carved Rock Crystal Snuff Bottles with Stoppers

Two carved rock crystal snuff bottles 19th century, one carved with figures and aventurine quartz stopper the other carved with fish and cherry amber stopper small chips to each the figurative bottle 6.5 cm high

A hair crystal snuff bottle with cherry amber stopper 8.5 cm…

Cherry Amber Hair Crystal Snuff Bottle

A hair crystal snuff bottle with cherry amber stopper 8.5 cm high

A carved hair crystal snuff bottle with onyx stopper carved in…

Carved Hair Crystal Snuff Bottle with Onyx Stopper

A carved hair crystal snuff bottle with onyx stopper carved in low relief with bats and deer amongst a the branches of a peach tree 7 cm high