A CARVED RED-OVERLAY YELLOW GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE

PROBABLY IMPERIAL GLASSWORKS, BEIJING, 1760-1840

Details

A CARVED RED-OVERLAY YELLOW GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
PROBABLY IMPERIAL GLASSWORKS, BEIJING, 1760-1840
Of rounded, rectangular shape, the bottle is carved through the semi-transparent ruby-red overlay to the opaque lemon-yellow ground with a wide band of five bats (wufu) in flight.
2½ in. (6.4 cm.) high, glass stopper with pearl finial

Provenance

Hugh Moss, Catalogue, June 1970, fig. 204.
Kardos Collection; Sotheby's New York, 1 July 1985, lot 48.

Exhibited

Anthropological Musuem, Vancouver, 1977.
Taipei Gallery, New York, Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1-29 October 1993, p. 5.

Lot Essay

The five bats (wufu) represent the Five Blessings: longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. They are depicted here in a rare color combination. The yellow ground tone suggests an imperial production, possibly from the first part of the 19th century.

A similar bottle carved in a turquoise overlay to a translucent red ground, from the Gerry P. Mack Collection, was sold at Christie's South Kensington, 4 October 1999, lot 160.

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