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Lot Essay
The poem refers to the mystical realm, which soon became associated with both snuff and the snuff bottle, the former because of the effect the narcotic nicotine has on the intellect, allowing one to sense other dimensions of consciousness, however briefly, and the latter because of the long-held belief that the interior of certain containers, gourds in particular, could become alternative realms of infinite, or rather limitless size. It may be translated as:
Its flavor for divine immortals beyond this world
Will last long many months and days in this bottle.
The name following it is the hao or sobriquet of the artist Yun Shouping (1633-1690), a famous and immensely influential early-Qing artist who often inspired snuff-bottle makers. The use of the character kan after the signature leaves open the possible interpretation that the text and signature have been borrowed from a published version. Kan can also mean 'to engrave' or 'engraved', making further reference to the Chinese publishing process, which involves the engraving of wood blocks or stone from which rubbings can be taken to produce multiple copies. The silver-wire process involves incising lines into the surface of the metal to accommodate the silver wire, which is then beaten into place before the surface is polished, but in this case we may assume that there is no intention to pretend that Yun Shouping engraved the bottle, particularly given the real identity of the maker on the foot.
The scholar seated at the rock table seeks inspiration by gazing at the flower in a pot nearby, his blank paper waiting him on the surface of the table, while the poem connects the user to the mystic realm, and the side panels provide symbols of longevity and the qualities of a gentleman. The leiwen design around the neck, being continuous, suggests the continuity of the family line and, therefore, male progeny.
In the date, xiaochun is a short-form for xiaoyangchun, an alternative name for the tenth month of the year.
Its flavor for divine immortals beyond this world
Will last long many months and days in this bottle.
The name following it is the hao or sobriquet of the artist Yun Shouping (1633-1690), a famous and immensely influential early-Qing artist who often inspired snuff-bottle makers. The use of the character kan after the signature leaves open the possible interpretation that the text and signature have been borrowed from a published version. Kan can also mean 'to engrave' or 'engraved', making further reference to the Chinese publishing process, which involves the engraving of wood blocks or stone from which rubbings can be taken to produce multiple copies. The silver-wire process involves incising lines into the surface of the metal to accommodate the silver wire, which is then beaten into place before the surface is polished, but in this case we may assume that there is no intention to pretend that Yun Shouping engraved the bottle, particularly given the real identity of the maker on the foot.
The scholar seated at the rock table seeks inspiration by gazing at the flower in a pot nearby, his blank paper waiting him on the surface of the table, while the poem connects the user to the mystic realm, and the side panels provide symbols of longevity and the qualities of a gentleman. The leiwen design around the neck, being continuous, suggests the continuity of the family line and, therefore, male progeny.
In the date, xiaochun is a short-form for xiaoyangchun, an alternative name for the tenth month of the year.