JAPAN, 1860-1910

Details

**AN UNUSUAL AND VERY RARE IVORY AND LACQUER SNUFF BOTTLE
JAPAN, 1860-1910
Of rounded-rectangular form, each side inset with a carved red and black lacquer panel, one carved with an equestrian warrior holding a halberd and accompanied by two foot soldiers, one holding a flag, the other the reins of the warrior's horse, the other panel with a scholar and woman being formally greeted by a soldier, the ivory frame carved with Buddhist lions playing with two brocade balls in clouds set against a gold-filled formalized wave ground, the neck and foot with formalized lotus petal designs, the neck a separate section, the original lacquer stopper with ivory collar and carved with a formalized chrysanthemum design
2 3/8 in. (6.0 cm.) high

Provenance

Lucille Parker
Sotheby's, New York, 17-18 March 1977, lot 82
Hugh M. Moss Ltd.

Literature

Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, Vol. II, no. 318
Arts of Asia, November-December 1995, Vol. 25, no. 6, p. 128

Exhibited

Christie's, New York, 1993
Empress Place Museum, Singapore, 1994
Museum für Kunsthandwerk, Frankfurt, 1996-1997
Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1997
Naples Museum of Art, Florida, 2002
Portland Museum of Art, Oregon, 2002
National Museum of History, Taipei, 2002
International Asian Art Fair, Seventh Regiment Armory, New York, 2003

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Lot Essay

About twenty examples of these lacquer-and-ivory bottles are known. As can be seen with the present example, the group is characterized by superb technical and sculptural control. They are usually composed of lacquer panels in ivory surrounds, but occasionally they have ivory panels set into a lacquer frame. They represent the finest of Japanese wares made for a collectors' market which developed after Japan opened its ports to international trade following the treaty of 1854. They also epitomize the finest lacquer carving for the snuff-bottle collector. For other examples, see L. S. Perry, Chinese Snuff Bottles. The Adventures and Studies of a Collector, p. 118, no. 113; Chinese Snuff Bottles No. 2, p. 18, plate D; Chinese Snuff Bottles No. 5, pp. 29 and 30; JICSBS, March 1975, p. 18, also illustrated in JICSBS, Autumn 1982, inside back cover; JICSBS, June 1975, pp. 3 and 4; JICSBS, June 1977, front cover and p. 18; JICSBS, March 1979, front cover; JICSBS, June 1981, p. 29; JICSBS, Spring 1982, front cover (one of the two bottles is also illustrated in B. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, no. 757); Chinese Snuff Bottles. An Exhibition from British Columbia Collectors, no. 6; Sotheby's, New York, 15 March 1984, lot 293; Sotheby's, London, 6 June 1988, lot 352; R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, nos. 211-13, R. Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles III, no. 89; and R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles. The White Wings Collection, p.216, no. 318.

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