Snuff Bottle Translation Sought

[hddennis]

Just acquired this snuff bottle and would like to know if possible what is written on it. 

 

Thanks,

Howard Dennis

[hddennis]

Is this Japanese and can it be translated?

[Matsunoki]

Howard, sorry can’t help with the translation but I think this is Chinese, not Japanese. Does it have a spoon attached to the stopper? How big is it?

[SteveM]

Looks Chinese. Left side is a zodiac date (戊午) and then some numbers after that? But I can't make it out. 

 

[hddennis]

11 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Howard, sorry can’t help with the translation but I think this is Chinese, not Japanese. Does it have a spoon attached to the stopper? How big is it?

Thanks Matsunoki, I'm out of state and have this packed but it's several inches tall roughly normal size of most snuff bottles I've found and it does have an ivory spoon.

[hddennis]

2 hours ago, SteveM said:

Looks Chinese. Left side is a zodiac date (戊午) and then some numbers after that? But I can't make it out. 

 

Steve, Thanks for your help. Is it poor photography on my part or poorly formed characters?

 

Howard Dennis

[SteveM]

No, the picture is good and clear. It's my poor inability to decipher seal script (and, not understanding Chinese writing conventions). 

Well, 2nd from the bottom on the right side is 楽, but that doesn't help much.

The zodiac year would correspond to 1918 (or another 60-year interval year, like 1978, etc.).  

[hddennis]

9 minutes ago, SteveM said:

No, the picture is good and clear. It's my poor inability to decipher seal script (and, not understanding Chinese writing conventions). 

Well, 2nd from the bottom on the right side is 楽, but that doesn't help much.

The zodiac year would correspond to 1918 (or another 60-year interval year, like 1978, etc.).  

Well Thanks again SteveM, at least I know more than I did before.

 

Howard Dennis