Page 69 - CHRISTIE'S Barron Collection Snuff Bottles 09/13/17

•277 277
A RARE FAMILLE VERTE PORCELAIN OVOID
SNUFF BOTTLE 278
JINGDEZHEN KILNS, 1800-1870 67
The bottle is enameled with a fve-clawed dragon fying amidst
fames in pursuit of a faming pearl on a black ground.

2 in. (5.1 cm.) high, glass stopper
$3,000-5,000

PROVENANCE

Robert Hall, London, 2006.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts,
no. 4475.

Despite their functional eficiency, simplicity and symbolism of
fertility and the all-important continuation of the family line in
the Confucian belief system, snuf bottles in the shape of eggs,
without any compression of the form, are extremely unusual. While
a small series of mid-Qing ovoid glass examples are known, this
porcelain version is very rare.
1800-1870年 黑地五彩遊龍戲珠紋鼻煙壺

•278
A SMALL DENDRITIC AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1780-1880
One side of the icy-grey bottle is centered by a dark russet tree-like
inclusion of dark brown fading to pale russet.

1√ in. (4.8 cm.) high, agate stopper
$2,400-3,400

PROVENANCE

Ko Family Collection.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2006.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts,
no. 2693.

The natural pattern on the current bottle resembles a tree,
standing above its refection in a pond or still pool. This type of
agate, often called mocha stone, is noted for the complete images
in the stone which can resemble a fern or tree. These dark russet
designs are caused by manganese or iron oxide deposits in the
stone. For a discussion of mocha stone snuf bottles and other
agate bottles, see H. Moss in Chinese Snuf Bottles of the Silica
or Quartz Group, London, 1971, p. 15, nos. 25 and 26.
1780-1880年 苔蘚瑪瑙鼻煙壺