IMPERIAL, PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1770-1799

Among the classic, single-plane Guyue Xuan wares is a small group enameled colorless glass, resembling the finest crystal. A popular design on this rare group was bamboo and prunus. Hugh Moss has described the crystal-like glass as "the highest quality of any known from China," likely to come from the Imperial glassworks, and another indication of the Palace origins of this group of Guyue Xuan enameled glass bottles (JICSBS, June 1978, p. 14). The bottle here exemplifies the single-plane style of the end of the 18th century (see the note to lot 290 for a brief discussion of single-and double-plane enameled bottles). See also, C. Lawrence, Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom. Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Monimar Collection, no. 1, for a bottle decorated with prunus blossoms and daisies. Another is illustrated by R. Hall in Chinese Snuff Bottles. Masterpieces from the Rietberg Museum Museum, Zurich, no. 21; a third is in the Oakland Museum, California, from the Collection of Helen Pritchard; a fourth is in the Mary and George Bloch Collection (see R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, no. 16); and a fifth is illustrated by B. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Chinese Snuff Bottles, no. 958.