Page 57 - September 21 2021 Curtis collections snuff bottles Bonhams NYC

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649 650
AN IMPERIAL CARVED DUAN STONE SNUFF BOTTLE A PALE TURQUOISE-GREEN MALACHITE BOTTLE
1740-1800 1850-1920
Of flattened pear shape, finely carved in low relief on one side with a Of tapering rounded rectangular shape, the material with attractive
pair of confronted archaistic kui-dragons forming the character long markings that form large cell-like structures within the matrix of the
(dragon), the reverse with two more ‘naturalistic’ ascending dragons stone.
forming a roundel in which is a ten-character inscription followed by 2 1/2in (6.2cm) high, stopper
the Yuzhi two-character mark (Imperial made), the narrow sides with
mask and ring handles. $1,500 - 2,000
2 1/4in (5.7cm) high, stopper 1850-1920年 孔雀石鼻煙壺

$1,000 - 1,500 Provenance:
Sotheby’s, Honolulu, 7 Nov 1981, lot 164
1740-1800年 御製端石夔龍紋鼻煙壺 Published:
Bob C. Stevens, The Collector’s Book of Snuff Bottles, New York,
Provenance: 1976, no 629.
Treasure Arts Co. Hong Kong, November 1990 Hugh M Moss, Chinese Snuff Bottles, no. 4 col. pl H

For another example of similar type, see Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Exhibited:
Bottles, The White Wings Collection, Hong Kong, 1997, pp.190-191, Mikimoto, Catalogue no 228
no. 131, where the author references other examples discussed and
illustrated by Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of In his seminal book on the topic of Chinese snuff bottles, Bob Stevens
the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, Vol. 2, no. 84. suggests that the Qing dynasty source for malachite in China was
likely the copper mines of Russia’s Ural mountains. Using this bottle
Duan is a type of slate from the River Duan in Guangdong province to illustrate a mid-19th century example, the author notes the stone’s
and was most highly regarded as stone for use in the production of natural inclusions and patterns require no additional adornment.
inkstones, because of its soft silky surface.
However, more recent publications suggest that indeed deposits of
malachite are found in China and that the source for this bottle might
well be indigenous. The blue tinge within the stone is a result of copper
present in the formation of the aluminum phosphate rock, the green
comes from a mixture of iron and chrome.

For other examples Michael C. Hughes, The Chester Beatty Library,
Dublin, Chinese Snuff Bottles, Baltimore, 2009, pp. 190-191, no’s.
149-151. The Curtis example is particularly fine example in both its
bright color and its soft and smooth surface texture.

THE EMILY BYRNE CURTIS COLLECTION OF CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES | 55