Ancient Chinese Art
Melons are appropriate symbols to express the wish for many sons because of their many seeds. This snuff bottle has a melon shape, with the vine, its leaves, and flowers on the surface, along with a bee-like butterfly on the upper right-hand surface. The combination of melon and butterfly forms the rebus gua-die (�posterity�) and mianmian (�continuous like a vine, or everlasting�). Therefore, this is a wish for ceaseless generations. This bottle was suspended in a pouch from the belt, since the Chinese garments did not have pockets. They were made from a variety of precious materials.
Snuff Bottle, Motif of Butterfly and Melon, Amber. Height 6.9 cm, Qing dynasty, ca. 19th century. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco