A BUTTERSCOTCH AGATE ‘SHUANGXI’ SNUFF BOTTLE, QING DYNASTYAgate of almost even and intense butterscotch color, carved in light relief, with a smooth surface polish. China, 19th centuryBoth sides with relief carving of a shuangxi character, wishing ‘double luck’ to the married past (and hopefully future) owners of this bottle. Double Happiness is a Chinese traditional ornament design, commonly used as a decoration and symbol of marriage. Outside of China, it is also used in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia. Typically, the character "囍" is written in Chinese calligraphy, and frequently appears on traditional decorative items, associated with marriage. The double happiness symbol is also often found all over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom.Shape: Rectangular shape with rounded shouldersHollowing: GoodMouth, neck and lip: Cylindric neck with convex top and small mouthBase: Oval convex baseStopper: Pink tourmaline cabochonHeight of the bottle with stopper: 6.4 cm.Width of the mouth: 6 mm.Width of the neck: 16 mm.Condition: Good, with some wear and minor scratching, minor nibblingProvenance: Old Austrian private collection, acquired before 1930, thence by descentLiterature comparison: CHINESE ART FROM THE SCHOLAR'S STUDIO. Bonhams, New York, March 17th, 2014, lot 8025. (for a jade bottle with the shuangxi character)清代瑪瑙“雙喜”鼻烟壺品相良好，有輕微磨損與劃痕，有磕傷奧地利私人老收藏，1930年前購入，家族傳承