Page 50 - CHRISTIE'S Barron Collection Snuff Bottles 09/13/17

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A RARE CARVED WHITE JADE SNUFF BOTTLE
PROBABLY IMPERIAL, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PALACE
WORKSHOPS, 1750-1800
The bottle is carved in the form of two Central Asian fgures
fanking a large vase, one fgure is shown with a shaven patch in
the middle of his pate and the other wears a pointed hat, both are
dressed in a loose coat and tall boots with the fngers of one of the
fgures extending under the foot ring of the vase. The stone is of an
even white tone.

2¿ in. (5.4 cm.) high, glass stopper

$14,000-18,000

PROVENANCE

Robert Hall, London, 2001.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2002.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts,
no. 3442.

These fgures are intended to represent foreign ‘barbarians’ and There are other snuf bottles known of this general design,
are in Central Asian dress. Their hair is long and one has a shaven although they are very rare. It is likely that this type was made for
central pate. They depict the typical foreigner who came to China the Court, as this design is found in a variety of Imperial arts of
via the Silk Road from Central Asia. From the Yuan dynasty the time, including cloisonné and bronze. The vase form of this
onwards, there are a number of images of foreigners bringing bottle, based on popular meiping (‘prunus-blossom vase’) form,
tributes to China, and during the Ming dynasty, bronze vases is also one of the more common Imperial forms for jade snuf
(including those used for the game of touhu) and bronze vessels for bottles. Finally, this bottle is designed to be set on a table or desk
incense are often supported by two fgures of this type. Paintings rather than carried around - a phenomenon suited to Imperial life
also show lengthy processions of tribute-bearers bringing all sorts at Court, where useful objects were produced in vast numbers so
of gifts to the Court, including vases. The symbolism here rests that every room could be ftted to accommodate its role without
in a pun on the character for ‘vase’ (ping) which sounds the same having to move objects about from one place to another.
as that for ‘peace’ (ping), and suggests that by accepting their
tributory status as lesser nations under the protection of China, A bottle of near identical design was sold at Christie’s New York,
they carry peace as an ofering to the Court. Important Chinese Snuf Bottles from the J & J Collection, Part III,
29 March 2006, lot 37.

1750-1800年 白玉雕朝貢圖鼻煙壺

(another view)
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