Page 114 - The Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles: Part I

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A CAMEO AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1780-1840

The fattened bottle is carved on one side in high relief through the blackish-brown areas
of the deep caramel-colored stone with two horses standing beside a ten-character poetic
inscription referring to the lifelong companionship shared by the two horses, and the reverse is
carved with a squirrel clambering amidst a grapevine.
2¬ in. (6.6 cm.) high, pink tourmaline stopper

$8,000-10,000

PROVENANCE:

Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2012.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, no. 5416.

For a discussion of the Offcial School of hard-stone carving, see Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of
Chinese Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong, 1998, Volume 2, Part 1, pp. 206-207, no. 258, as well as Part 2,
pp. 326-345, nos. 301-307 for examples from the school carved with horses.

In this example, a popular subject of the School is masterfully carved using the very dark inclusions.
There is a very similar example, although carved with a different inscription, in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, which is illustrated by H. White in Snuff Bottles from China, The Victoria and Albert
Museum Collection, London, 1992, p. 53, plate 19 (3).

1780-1840年 瑪瑙巧雕雙駒圖鼻煙壺

(another view)

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