Page 89 - Fine Asian Works of Art December 19, 2016, SF

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8128 8129
TWO INSIDE-PAINTED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLES AN INSIDE-PAINTED CHALCEDONY SNUFF BOTTLE
20th century Bottle: 1800-1860, painting: 1911
The first a rare inside-painted glass snuff bottle by Kui Detian from the The well-hollowed bottle of compressed globular form, with a slightly
early 20th century, the interior painted with a continuous landscape spreading neck, recessed lip, carefully rounded oval foot ring,
depicting secluded temples and dwellings nestled in a water- sensitively painted around the side in a combination of muted colors
surrounded valley amongst soaring mountain peaks, one side signed with a fisherman and a peaceful waterscape, and contemplative female
Kui Detian, with two red seal marks; the second painted in soft colors figure sitting by a hillside with bamboo; dated xinhai zhongqiu (mid-
with a figure boating in a tranquil landscape on one side, the reverse autumn of 1911), with a red seal cartouche.
depicting scholar's objects, and vessels containing flowers and 2 1/4in (5.7cm) high
auspicious fruits; inscribed, signed Xiaoquan (possibly Hu Xiaoquan,
also known as Hu Xiaoran), with two red seals. US$1,000 - 1,500

2 1/4 and 2 3/16in (5.7 and 5.6cm) high 8130
A SHADOW CHALCEDONY SNUFF BOTTLE
US$1,800 - 2,500 1800-1860
Well-hollowed, the rounded square form bottle carved using the
Snuff bottles by Kui Detian are rare. His bottles are almost never dated natural dark inclusions to depict a bird and rock formations.
or inscribed. Of the nearly thirty known bottles by Kui, only one is 2 1/8in (5.4cm) high
dated 1904.
Kui's works appear to be very consistent in style and quality, US$4,000 - 6,000
characterized with linear drawing filled with colors of mostly brown,
white, and some red, painted in a folk-art fashion.
Compare a similar bottle, from the Bloch Collection, sold at Sotheby's
Hong Kong, 24 November 2014, lot 158.

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