Page 14 - CHRISTIE'S Barron Collection Snuff Bottles 09/13/17

•209 (another view)
A RARE CARVED AND ENAMELED GUYUE XUAN
WHITE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
IMPERIAL, PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1767-1799
The bottle has a raised quatrefoil panel on either side that is
enameled with a preying mantis on a blossoming peony on one
side and a cricket on a fowering begonia on the reverse. The
narrow sides of the bottle are carved with stylized chi dragons and
are painted with yellow enamel and red edging. An iron-red Guyue
Xuan (Ancient Moon Pavilion) mark is faintly written on the base.

2¬ in. (6.7 cm) high, glass stopper
$20,000-30,000

PROVENANCE

Purchased from The Potpourri Shop, Santa Monica,
California, 1964.
The Neal W. and Frances R. Hunter Collection, Santa Monica,
California; Sotheby’s New York, 15 September 1998, lot 7.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2006.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts,
no. 3162.

The current bottle belongs to a rare group of bottles reputed
to have been created for imperial use at the Ancient Moon
Pavilion. This rare group exhibits enameled decoration, as well
as examples such as the present bottle that features carved
and enameled decoration. For a discussion on the group and
several examples, see Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the
Chinese Snuf Bottle: The J & J Collection, New York, 1993,
nos. 192 - 204, pp. 328-351, where the last few are in carved
relief with enameling. This is an extremely rare example which
combines the standard form of non-relief enameling on the two
main panels, with carved relief on the narrow sides. Compare
the fat enameled designs with the basket of fowers in the J & J
Collection, no. 200, and no. 201 for an unusual katydid design in
the group.

Insects represent fertility and, therefore, ample progeny. The
peonies represent wealth, while the begonia represents the
Autumn season. Chi dragons, because of their elongated bodies,
represent not only the ancient culture, but longevity.
1767-1799年 御製揚州作玻璃畫琺瑯花卉草蟲圖鼻煙壺
礬紅楷書「古月軒」款

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