1700-1850

Details

**A VERY RARE AND UNUSUAL TURQUOISE SNUFF BOTTLE
1700-1850
Of well-hollowed, flattened form with a flat lip and recessed, concave oval foot, the bluish-green material interrupted by a jagged, black matrix, the lower left section on one main side inscribed Quexi Zhai zhenwan ('For precious enjoyment at the Happy Magpie Studio') in seal script, with the seal Tian shi ('Tian family'), coral stopper carved with a chi dragon, turquoise collar
1 in. (5 cm.) high

Provenance

Hugh Moss

Literature

JICSBS, September 1977, p. 13, no. 12
JICSBS, December 1977, p. 25, no. 44
Snuff Bottles of the Ch'ing Dynasty, p. 89, no. 127
V. Jutheau, Guide du Collectionneur de Tabatières Chinoises, p. 121, no. 4
100 Selected Chinese Snuff Bottles from the J & J Collection, back cover and no. 1
J & J poster
JICSBS, Autumn 1989, front cover
Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, Vol. 1, no. 87
Orientations, July 1994, p. 40
Silver Kris, January 1997, p. 48, fig. 1
The Miniature World. An Exhibition of Snuff Bottles from The J & J Collection, p. 37

Exhibited

Hugh M. Moss Ltd., London, September 1974
Hong Kong Museum of Art, October-December 1978
Christie's, London, October 1987
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
Poly Art Museum, Beijing, 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

The present bottle is exceptionally well made, of an elegant form and impeccably well hollowed. The natural markings in the stone create an extraordinarily energized pattern, providing a range of possible interpretations of the natural markings: a flash of lightning amid storm clouds, dragons writhing amidst green mist, or a landscape.

The only decoration is a short inscription placed low on one side, bringing to mind a classical Chinese painting. Almost certainly the work of a seal carver, the qualities of the 'iron-brush' are evident in the control of the highly literary seal script and the flow of the strokes.

See a turquoise bottle with similar patination and distribution of the matrix on one side, illustrated by R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, no. 174. Other well-patinated and beautifully marked turquoise bottles are illustrated in Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, Vol. 1, no. 86, and in B. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, nos. 599, 601 and 603.

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