Oriental Inside Painted Snuff Bottle with Lions Head

This beautiful inside painted snuff bottle is trimmed in a silver metal that features lions heads on each side and butterflies around the neck and bottom. The image is of two maidens in the garden. Each side is a different view. The top is a cork insert inside with a dome top that is a lovely brown stone. The bottle stands 3.5" tall and 2.5" wide. This bottle is old, but probably around the early 20th Century. A slight indentation is on one side that allows for a better grab. I do believe this was intentional and not a flaw or damage. It is the perfect fit for a thumb. If it did not start off that way, it may have formed over time with repetitive use. In any case, it should not affect the value.

Inside-painted (or as some call reverse painted) snuff bottles first appeared in the late 1800's and were made until the 1920's and 30's. They were made to hold snuff, but often became appreciated for just a pretty thing to carry. Because the paint is watercolor, do not put water in them! Also, most collectors expect to see a spoon inside a snuff bottle, but inside painted bottles did not come with a spoon to protect the artwork inside. This snuff bottle follows that form.