Page 21 - Bonhams Art from the Scholar's Studio, September 16, 2013 NY

8022 8023

8021 8023
A cinnabar lacquer snuff bottle A red glass overlay snuff bottle
Late Qing dynasty 1750-1820
The compressed ovoid body raised on a recessed oval foot and Of compressed ovoid form with a flat lip and a high oval foot rim
tapering to a narrow neck, finely carved with two fan-shaped reserves surrounding a recessed foot, the transparent, bubble suffused glass with
under pines and near a viewing pavilion, enclosed in floral and key-fret a single ruby red overlay, carved in high relief and boasting a continuous
banded ground. design of nine interacting chi dragons.
2 1/8in (5.4cm) high 2 5/8in (6.7cm) high
$1,000 - 1,500 $2,000 - 3,000

Provenance: Provenance:
T.Y. King, Hong Kong T.Y. King, Hong Kong

8022 Although chilong or chi dragons are a common motif on red glass overlay
A red glass overlay snuff bottle snuff bottles, the representation of nine in this example is auspicious and
18th century significant due to the importance of the number nine in Chinese culture.
Of an unusual tall flattened cylindrical shape, with a flaring flat lip According to Daoist numerology the number nine has the greatest Yang
surrounding a wide mouth, supported by a high foot rim, the ruby red (masculine) and is related to Heaven, as was the emperor, i.e. The Son
overlay carved in high relief on the front and back with front facing mang of Heaven. As a result imperial objects would frequently bear the nine-
dragons surrounding a pearl and hovering over waves. dragon motif. Despite the imperial allusions that adorn the bottle, they
2 1/2in (6.3cm) high do not unequivocally signify it as solely an emperor’s possession; the
$1,000 - 1,500 profusion of court robes worn by higher ranked nobles and princes that
also bear nine dragons indicate this symbolism was widespread among
Provenance: the upper echelons of the imperial hierarchy.
Montt Collection
For another red overlay glass snuff bottle with nine chi dragons see Moss,
Graham and Tsang, A treasury of Chinese snuff bottles, the George and
Mary Bloch Collection vol 5 part 2, no 883, p. 452.

Chinese Art From The Scholar’s Studio | 19