JINGDEZHEN KILNS, 1830-1850

Details

**TWO BLUE AND WHITE SNUFF BOTTLES
JINGDEZHEN KILNS, 1830-1850
With convex lip and recessed, flat circular foot surrounded by a footrim, painted in underglaze blue with a continuous scene of seven Buddhist lions at play, some with brocade balls, all atop wispy clouds, apocryphal Chenghua mark, coral-colored glass stopper carved with a crouching chilong; and a blue and white snuff bottle with convex lip and recessed, flat circular foot surrounded by a footrim, painted with a continuous design with young boys at play, some with lanterns, others with a kite, glass stopper carved with a crouching chilong
2 in. (5.12 cm.) and 3 in. (8.02 cm.) high respectively (2)

Provenance

The bottle with children:
Hugh M. Moss Ltd., London, 1972

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Lot Essay

During the earlier part of the nineteenth century, apocryphal Yongzheng, Kangxi and Chenghua reign marks began to be added to porcelain bottles in an apparent attempt to backdate the production of blue and white ceramic snuff bottles to these earlier reigns. This was a response to the increasing popularity of antique snuff bottles amongst Chinese collectors, but was also fuelled by a growing number of foreign collectors who were impressed by early reign marks. They are often of very high quality, and it is questionable as to whether or not they were originally intended to deceive, although that is the most likely intent.

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