Page 21 - Bonhams Indian Private Collection of Snuff Bottles March 2016 New York

6018
A CAMEO CHALCEDONY ‘JUJUBE AND
PEANUT’ SNUFF BOTTLE
1780-1880
Well hollowed, of rounded pebble form with
natural irregularities, with carefully rendered,
curvaceous incised lines to present a large
jujube, and superimposed with raised,
realistically rendered peanuts carved from
opaque brown and beige patches in the
stone.
2 1/8in (5.4cm) high
$2,000 - 3,000

Provenance
House of Ivory, Chicago, 2nd September
1977

The Chinese term for jujube, zaozi, is a
homophone for ‘early son’, and peanut is
a pun for ‘giving birth’. Being combined
together, the jujube and peanut can thus
be interpreted as ‘may you soon give birth
to a distinguished son’. As such jujube and
peanut are popular snacks or simply part
of the ‘ritual’ decoration used at wedding
ceremonies in China.

Compare a similar bottle from the Paul Braga 6018 (two views)
Collection, sold at our Hong Kong rooms, 24
November 2014, sale 20524, lot 64. See also
a similar example in the Mary and George
Bloch Collection, illustrated by H.Moss,
V.Graham, K.B.Tsang, in A Treasury of
Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George
Bloch Collection, Vol.2, Quartz, Hong Kong,
1998, p. 402, no. 330.

1780-1880年 瑪瑙巧雕早生貴子鼻煙壺

6019
A SHADOW CHALCEDONY ‘BIRD’
SNUFF BOTTLE
1780-1850
Well-hollowed, the flattened globular bottle
raised on a spreading oval foot ring, with
a straight neck, recessed lip, utilizing the
natural dark inclusions in the semi-translucent
gray stone, carved to the front to display
two birds and rock formations, the reverse
naturally forming an intriguing zen style image
with an ink stroke-like dot within an irregular
circle; uneven surfaces.
2 1/2in (6.4cm) high
$3,000 - 5,000

Provenance
Robert Hall, 4th July 1989

1780-1850年 瑪瑙巧雕鳥紋鼻煙壺

6019

CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM TWO AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS | 19