Page 83 - The Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles: Part I

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A BLUE-OVERLAY CLEAR GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
IMPERIAL, PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1760-1820

The bottle is carved through the bright-blue overlay to the slightly
cloudy ground, which shades to white and slightly opalescent at
the neck, on one side with a phoenix perched on a rock between a
fowering branch and stalks of bamboo. The other side is decorated
with a hawk perched on a prunus branch.
3¡ in. (8.7 cm.) high, glass stopper

$7,000-9,000

PROVENANCE:

Sara Jo and Arthur Kobacker Collection.
Robert Hall, London, 2010.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2011.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, no. 5174.

The manner in which the slightly cloudy ground of the body of this bottle
deepens to an opalescent white tone on the neck is very unusual. The
refned carving style of the blue overlay reveals the work of the Palace
workshops. The combination of the phoenix and the hawk is unusual;
the phoenix is more often paired with the dragon, and the hawk with a
bear. The phoenix, fenghuang, was an explicit emblem of the emperor
and empress respectively and the fenghuang gazing at the sun (Danfeng
chaoyang), symbolizes the opportunity to prove ones talents. The hawk
(ying) represents greatness in the individual, and combined with a pine tree,
implies the wish that such a great man will live a long life.

1760-1820年 御製透明地套藍玻璃「英雄獨立」圖鼻煙壺

(another view)

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