There is little doubt that the finest bottles were made in the reigns of Chien Lung 1736 - 95, Chia Ching 1796 - 1820 and Tao Kuang 1821 - 50.  All Chinese artwork reached the highest of peaks during Chien Lung's reign thanks to his patronage and encouragement.

There are a variety of heavy stones that will float in water such as jade, quartz, chalcedony and hair crystal. If you find this comment hard to believe, then you obviously have not learned about collecting fine antique Chinese snuff bottles!

The first Chinese snuff bottles we decided to buy, that were not carved out of stone, were made of glass.  A huge range of glass bottles is to be found in all shapes and colours as well as a variety of manufacturing techniques. Much more research is needed in order to date these bottles, but it is generally now agreed that glass and metal bottles were the earliest materials to be used.  The problem is that glass has been used throughout the whole snuff bottle period right up to the present day. The Chinese had little use for glass prior to the 17th century mainly because of their highly refined porcelain skills.  They had no glass windows, favouring translucent paper. We are not sure if glass had been used centuries earlier in China but it was certainly introduced to them by Europeans in good time for snuff bottles.

Over a good many years we have created, though I say it myself, quite an important snuff bottle collection.  My wife, thank goodness, shares my interest in these little bottles, but perhaps I should warn you, collecting anything is a bit like a bug, once caught, it is with you for ever and can be quite an obsession! Have you ever searched for pebbles or shells along the sea shore, selecting them for either colour or shape and found an appeal in handling them, so much so, that you simply could not throw them away?  If so, you have the makings of a dedicated collector. Part of the pleasure of owning these bottles is the tactile appeal found in handling them.

17 November 2000, Asianart.com
The Mary and George Bloch Chinese snuff bottle collection is a unique assemblage that combines the expression of artistic craftsmanship with creative Chinese ingenuity. True microcosm of Chinese art in all possible material: quartz, inside-painted glass, carved glass, jade, porcelain, and hard stone (turquoise, amethyst, aquamarine or agate). Dragons, symbolizing imperial power, homonyms for good wishes, rebuses, and calligraphic symbols of success, wealth, and longevity reflect the wishes and ambitions of the owners, "A happy life is one spent in learning, earning and yearning..."