The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin: Chinese Snuff Bottles

372 pages : color illustrations ; 36 cm. Among the archives of the Chester Beatty Collection is a handlist dated 2 march 1914, where the incredible number of over 1600 bottles is already listed in his collection. Almost half of these are mineral examples .Beatty was acquiring on average an incredible number of almost 90 bottles a year if indeed he did start collecting c.1868 when a student. Unfortunately the handlist describes material only and it is impossible to identify with certainty more then a few bottles in the collection today. It is now known that Beatty disposed of a third of his collection through a London dealer prior to his move to Dublin in 1950. He was also known to have given generous gifts of bottles to family members and friends. This book comprises of 275 pieces of snuff bottles in jade, quartz, other stones, organic, glass, porcelain, metal and enamel materials which are all in full color photos with English description.