A FINELY CARVED RED OVERLAY WHITE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
A FINELY CARVED RED OVERLAY WHITE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE

LI JUNTING, ATTRIBUTED TO YANGZHOU, 1800-1840

Details
A FINELY CARVED RED OVERLAY WHITE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
LI JUNTING, ATTRIBUTED TO YANGZHOU, 1800-1840
Of compressed form with a flat lip and recessed, convex oval foot surrounded by a footrim, carved as a single overlay of transparent ruby-red on white in low relief with a continuous scene set among and above formalized waves around the base with Li Tieguai, the crippled Immortal, seated clutching his crutch in the waves, his gourd behind his shoulder emitting vapor which transforms into formalized clouds, out of which the corner of an open pavilion peeks, while the sun seems to nestle in another, with Han Xiangzi playing his flute and Liu Dongbin seated with his sword sheathed behind him in a log boat, being poled by an attendant, beneath two bats and Liu Hai, holding his string of cash, floating in the air beckoning his three-legged toad from the waters below, the footrim in the overlay color, pearl stopper with silver collar
2 in. (5.95 cm.) high
Provenance
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd.
George Tcheng, Taipei
Christie's, Hong Kong, 1 November 1994, lot 1211
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd.
Exhibited
Christie's, Los Angeles, 2003

Lot Essay

This bottle can be confidently attributed to the master glass-carver, Li Junting, one of the most important and innovative of all Qing glass-carvers. Li's bottles are among the finest of the low-relief works of the school he headed, believed to have been at Yangzhou, and this superb example is no exception.

An important glass vase by Li was sold in our New York rooms, 22 March 1991, lot 504. Other works attributable to Li include two further bottles from the J & J Collection, nos. 402 and 403, illustrated by Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, Vol. 2. A red overlay glass bottle carved with a similar design to the present example is in the collection of Denis Low, and is illustrated by R. Kleiner, Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, p. 146, no. 126. See, also, three red overlay glass bottles attributed to Li Junting carved with similar figural designs, illustrated by Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, Vol. 5, Glass, pp. 745-50, nos. 1032-34, where the artist is dealt with in greater detail.

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