Page 61 - Bonhams Indian Private Collection of Snuff Bottles March 2016 New York
P. 61
6081
A FINE RUBY-RED GLASS
SNUFF BOTTLE
Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing
1730-1800
Of flattened shield form, with a wide mouth,
flat lip and deeply concave foot, each of the
narrow sides carved with a bat carrying a
string of cash.
2 1/2in (6.2cm) high
$1,200 - 1,800
The rich and vibrant red color seen in
the Imperial Palace glassware was best
described in 1702 by Wang Shizhen in
Xiangzhu biji “red as flame”. According to
Emily Byrne Curtis, the composition of most
of the red glass vessels from the Yongzheng
and Qianlong period reigns contained gold.
The brilliant red tone is caused by selective
light scattering of the gold particles in the
glass. Furthermore, an inventory made in
1752 of the materials used in the Imperial
glass works recorded the presence of ‘three
liang of top quality gold leaf for mixing with
glass’. The techonology was succcessfully
transferred from the court to Boshan, another
glassmaking center in Shandong province,
by 1820; see Pure Brightness Shines
Everywhere. The Glass of China, p.18.
1730-1800年 御製透明寶石紅料「福在眼 6082 (two views)
前」圖鼻煙壺
6082
A CARVED CAMEO CHALCEDONY
SNUFF BOTTLE
Official School, 1770-1850
Very well-hollowed, of rounded square form
with a cylindrical neck, flat lip, the translucent
grayish stone with subtle horizontal band
markings, utilizing the opaque brownish-
ochre inclusions, cleverly carved with two
horses under a pine tree branch on one side,
the reverse with a conforming inscription
arranged in four vertical lines, the underside
worked with the natural milky white coloration
in the stone, unusually designed with a split-
tailed dragon within an oval foot ring.
2 1/4in (5.7cm) high
$2,000 - 3,000
1770-1850年 玉髓巧雕松下駿馬圖鼻煙壺
6083 6083
A CARVED CAMEO CHALCEDONY
SNUFF BOTTLE
1820-1880
Well-hollowed, of flattened globular form
with a slightly waisted neck, subtly recessed
lip, spreading oval foot ring, worked with
the dark inclusions in the gray-tinged honey
color stone to portray a silhouette design of a
cockerel on rocks with vegetation.
2 3/8in (6cm) high
$3,000 - 5,000
1820-1880年 瑪瑙巧雕官上加官圖鼻煙壺
CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM TWO AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS | 59
