Grey translucent agate snuffbox with openwork base and dish, China, 1740-1800 Of flattened ovoid form with a flared neck, the snuffbox is made of translucent agate with a pearly hue. Each shoulder is adorned with a small animal or insect of singular appearance, carved in relief. The foot is high and beautifully openwork. Bone stopper. A gray agate tobacco dish with a poly-lobed shape reminiscent of a flower is included. Height: 4.1 cm; dish size: 3.5 x 2.8 cm This flask is part of a rare and very specific series made in the 18th and 19th centuries. A few agate models are referenced: the translucency, reduced size, shape, openwork foot, perfect hollowing and highly unusual masks on the shoulders are a constant. These agate flasks can be undecorated, sculpted with archaic motifs or incised with calligraphic poems. All these stylistic features are typical of imperial workshops in the 18th century, enabling an attribution.