Snuff Bottle: Inside Painted Bottle Illustrating Life of Han Gaozu Founder of Han DynastyWhether this is truly Han Gaozu's portrait is up to the imagination of the inside snuff bottle painter. But the biography in Chinese text on the other side is true historical fact. It stated that Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han Dynasty began his reign in 256 BC until 195 BC. At the time of his death he was 61. The calligraphic style is a regular script that is easy to read. The glass bottle in a flatten rectangular shape is of a high quality glass,

covering his mouth

The glass bottle has an older "feel" perhaps by the way it looks

This ware with the unctuous glaze covering the top and cascading down the sides

and a large opening for easy access

It is an interesting concept of a mythical creature climbing down a vase

The bottle has a flattened rectangular form tapering towards the base which is concave

It is not quite right because it is a Japanese rendition

Dating: turn of the 20th century 1900’s

founded by Inoue Ryosai in the mid Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) and continued throughout the Taisho Period (1912 - 1926) and into the Showa Period (1926 - 1989) by two more generation of potters using the same name until the 1930's

birds and flowers were created by Inoue Ryosai in the mid Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) and continued throughout the Taisho Period (1912 - 1926) and into the Showa Period (1926 - 1989) by two more generation of potters using the same name until the 1930's

China again joined the world trade which resulted in an impetus of art production

Sword makers and metalsmiths were promptly out of work