Page 24 - Bonhams Dicker Collection Snuff Bottles March 2015

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A fine agate snuff bottle with figural decoration A double gourd banded agate snuff bottle
Official School, 1780-1860 1750-1860
Well-hollowed, of flattened spherical form with a cylindrical neck, Very well hollowed, carved in the form of a double-gourd with a
concave lip, oval foot ring, cleverly designed based on the color wide, flat lip, petite concave foot, the grayish stone cast with natural
variations of the stone, one side finely carved in relief utilizing the opaque concentric markings resembling thumbprint patterns with shapes in
white layer presenting two seated scholars playing weiqi, the reverse left coincidence with the contour of the bottle.
undecorated to accentuate the attractive gray-toned stone. 2 1/4in (5.7cm) high
2 3/8in (6.1cm) high $2,500 - 4,000
$3,000 - 5,000
Provenance
Provenance The Asian Art Studio, Inc.,
Bernard Wald collection, NY acquired at Philadelphia Convention of ICSBS, October 2004
acquired 22 September 1991 formerly in the Bozzo collection, VA.

As a fine example belonging to the Official School, this bottle 瑪瑙葫蘆指紋鼻煙壺
represents the Qing dynasty artisans’ outstanding skill in editing the
natural colors of a remarkable piece of stone.

For a thorough discussion of the Official School, see A Treasury of
Chinese Snuff Bottles, Moss, Graham, and Tsang, Vol. 2, no. 258 and
the several related examples which are all of the school.

瑪瑙巧雕雅士對弈鼻煙壺

22 | BONHAMS