Page 40 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art December 2014
P. 40
8048 8048 (reverse)
Snuff Bottles
Property from a Northern California Estate Property from a Private San Francisco Collection
8048 8049
A large cloisonné enameled circular tray A finely carved coral snuff bottle
Late 18th/19th century 1780-1880
The central field decorated with nine fish swimming in a pool of water Of pear form, with an uneven surfaces reflecting the natural contour
weeds, enclosed by four clusters of chrysanthemums, peonies and of the material, carved in rounded relief with a continuous design of
seasonal flowers issuing from rocky outcroppings on a turquoise field squirrels climbing among dense grape vines, the recessed foot with
inlaid with a dense lozenge pattern, the underside richly decorated two raised scrolls.
with lotus fronts and blossoms in multicolored enamels enclosing an 2 3/8in (6.1cm) high
elegant network of floral filled cell diapers within the gilt metal foot ring. $3,000 - 5,000
20 1/8in (51.2cm) diameter
$10,000 - 15,000 Coral snuff bottles from the Qing dynasty are discussed at length
and illustrated in Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary
and George Bloch, Robert Kleiner, British Museum Press, 1995,
pp. 462-469. Several coral snuff bottles dated from the 18th to the
19th century are also illustrated in The Collector’s Book of Snuff
Bottles by Bob C. Steven, John Weatherhill, Inc., New York, 1976,
pp. 164-166. As stated by Mr. Kleiner, ‘Coral snuff bottles were
never well hollowed, due to the brittle nature of the material.’ The
flattened rectangular form with rounded edges is probably the most
popular type of early coral snuff bottle according to The Art of the
Chinese Snuff Bottle, Hugh Moss, Victor Graham, Kabo Tsang,
Weatherhill Inc., New York, 1993, p. 164. The less rigid shape of
the present bottle, reminds us some of the natural pebble-form
jade snuff bottles seen during the 18th and 19th century. The
subject and fine quality of carving is comparable to another bottle,
discussed and illustrated in Kleiner, above, pp. 462-463.
38 | BONHAMS
