Page 102 - Fine Chinese, Japanese and Buddhist Art September 28, 2018 Galerie Zacke

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A CARVED TRANSLUCENT AMETHYST SNUFF BOTTLE, 1750-1850
Very rare, almost flawless amethyst of pale purple color, with a smooth
surface polish.
China, 1750-1850

Of rounded rectangular form with flat top and recessed oval foot
surrounded by a foot rim, the narrow sides crisply carved with mask-and-
ring handles, the translucent stone of pale purple color suffused with
vapor-like inclusions.
Crystalline quartz, whether colorless or of this amethyst variety, is
sometimes found with a delicate network of markings resembling cracked
ice or sea-spray. These appear here and are found on other bottles of the
same group. The Chinese, with their passion for natural materials would
have seen these “flaws” as inspiration for design and once filled with
snuff, the inclusions would become more distinct, creating an abstract
work of art.
Shape: Rounded rectangular
Hollowing: Excellent, in perfect symmetry with the outer shape
Mouth, neck and lip: Tapered cylindric neck with flat top
Base: Oval foot surrounded by a flat, broad foot rim
Stopper: White jadeite with splashes of emerald green, spoon
Height of the bottle with stopper: 7,3 cm.
Width of the mouth: 7 mm.
Width of the neck: 19 mm.
89 90 Weight: 63,5 grams
A VERY RARE RED HAIR Width of the neck: 14 mm. A CARVED ‘QIAO SISTERS’ Width of the mouth: 5 mm. Condition: Good condition, neck and lip with some microscopic nibbling
CRYSTAL SNUFF BOTTLE, Weight: 43 grams AQUAMARINE SNUFF BOTTLE, Width of the neck: 19 mm. and one tiny chip
POSSIBLY IMPERIAL, 1760-1850 Condition: Perfect QING DYNASTY Weight: 75,3 grams Provenance: American private collection
Transparent rock crystal with red Provenance: American private The transparent stone of even Condition: Excellent condition
rutile needles. Good surface finish. collection, old labels to top aquamarine color, carved and with few microscopic nibbling to Literature comparison: See a slightly larger, but otherwise very similar
China, 1760-1850 incised in relief, good surface finish foot rim bottle, Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J &
Literature comparison: For another China, 1800-1890 Provenance: American private J Collection, no. 102.
The flattened rectangular body version in red of the standard collection
subtly maintaining its shape up to rounded-rectangular form, see The bottle carved in low relief with Auction result comparison: The Meriem Collection Important Chinese
the rounded shoulders surmounted Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury a scene of ‘The Two Qiao Sisters’, Literature comparison: For a Snuff Bottles. Christies, New York, 19 September 2007, lot 678. (for
by a thick neck and flat top, the of Chinese Snuff Bottles, vol.2, no. one riding on a horse and carrying discussion of the Qiao Sisters, see another very similar bottle)
well and symmetrically hollowed 194. This one has extraordinary a large banner, the other walking Ma Zengshan, Inside-Painted Snuff
bottle with very fine red and pink markings combining the usual besides, all below a band of Bottle Artist Ma Shaoxuan (1867- 䱦晽䳓㘞滣䂇⢢炻1750-1850⸜
rutile hairs intersecting throughout. inclusions of needle-like form, with clouds. The scene continues to the 1939), Maryland, 1997, pp. 32-35. 䦨㚱䘬䃉㘯䲼刚⋲德㖶䳓㘞炻堐朊⃱㹹䢐⃱
The shoulders with carved lion ring a fine mass of tiny ‘hairs’ criss- reverse with a deer resting below a ⑩岒⬴┬
masks in high relief. Three different crossing to create dense patches, a gnarly pine tree. Auction result comparison: The 伶⚳䥩Ṣ㓞啷
varieties of so-called ‘hair-crystal’ bit similar to the present bottle. While the finest gemstones of Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of
were used in China during the aquamarine are of flawless blue Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles: Part V. EstimateġEUR 500,-
Qing Dynasty: The most common Auction result comparison: color, pieces large enough to be Christies, New York, 13 September Starting price EUR 250,-
had inclusions of black, tourmaline CHINESE WORKS OF ART. fashioned into a snuff bottle are 2017, lot 272. (for an aquamarine
crystals in a crystal matrix, but Sotheby’s, 23 MARCH 2004, NEW never flawless. As seen here, the bottle with a similar subject)
much rarer are those with rutile YORK, lot 65. The Ruth and Carl material is permeated with natural
(red) or actinolite (green) needle- Barron Collection of Fine Chinese flaws, which refract the light and 㶭ẋ㴟啵⮞䞛晽”⣏⮷Ḵ╔”滣䂇⢢
like crystals. Snuff Bottles: Part I. Christies, add a complementary shimmering 㘞䐑⇼德䘬㴟啵⮞䞛炻⛯⊣刚㽌炻
New York, 16 September 2015, lot effect to the material. 䳘兑檀㴖晽炻堐朊⃱㹹炻列⤥䢐⃱
Shape: Rounded and flattened 216. (for two other red hair crystal ᷕ⚳炻1800-1890⸜
rectangular bottles) Shape: Flattened spade shape ⑩䚠㤝Ἓ
Hollowing: Good, symmetrical to Hollowing: Good, symmetrical to 伶⚳䥩Ṣ㓞啷
form 䦨㚱䲭檖㘞滣䂇⢢炻⎗傥䁢⽉ the outside shape
Mouth, neck and lip: Short 墥炻IJĸķıĮIJĹĶı⸜ Mouth, neck and lip: Short EstimateġEUR 400,-
cylindric neck with flat top and ⷞ䲭刚慹䲭䞛⮾德㖶檖㘞炻⃒晭 cylindric neck with very small Starting price EUR 200,-
small mouth 䢐⃱ mouth, typical for the master of
Base: Oval with raised foot rim ᷕ⚳炻1760-1850⸜ the rocks
Design, marks, school: Possibly ⑩䚠⬴┬ Base: Rectangular base with
imperial, see literature and auction 伶⚳䥩Ṣ㓞啷炻䒞⎋䔁㚱㧁䰌 rounded edges and raised foot rim
results comparison Design, marks, school: Master of
Stopper: Quartz on a black platelet EstimateġEUR 300,- the rocks school
with old spoon Starting price EUR 150,- Stopper: Good tourmaline stopper
Height of the bottle with stopper: on a black platelet, fine old spoon
6,3 cm. Height of the bottle with stopper:
Width of the mouth: 6 mm. 7 cm.

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