One of the prettiest banded agates on the market is the one that is only found in in the Bobonong district, Botswana, South Africa. The quantity of this mineral is limited. It is by far, a superior form of agate due to the near perfect banding of white, black, grey brown and sometimes blue. This snuff bottle is of a flattened form with natural grey, cream-toned and pale and dark brown bands in the stone in V shape alignment. The snuff bottle carver paid careful attention to cut the stone to display the bands to their best advantage. The bands did not ever meet but end at the base forming a very small raised oval foot. The sloping shoulders end at straight sides with carvings of an abstract design of a animal mask with a ring, a tradition that harks back to the archaic bronze vessels of bronze age China. The cap is a matching brown agate with a cork stopper and a brass spoon.
Dating: post 1970's
Dimensions: 2 inches wide, 1 inch deep and 2 3/4 inches high
Condition: almost new, good condition