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Lot Essay
For a meticulous analysis of the Guyuexuan (Ancient Moon Pavilion) group see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, Tokyo, 1993, pp. 328-351, nos. 192-204. Of the examples illustrated only one has a transparent glass ground and it bears a Qianlong four-character mark, p. 339, no. 197. Two other examples, much closer in the treatment of subject matter and handling of the enamel painting, one with a mustard yellow glass, the other with a deep blue glass, bear a Qianlong four-character mark and a Guyuexuan mark respectively, pp. 340-341, no. 198 & 199. The bottles are obviously closely linked as a group and Moss et. al. argue convincingly for a Palace Workshop provenance and a production date towards the end of the reign around 1770-1780.
For another example of rounded rectangular shape with a clear glass ground but with prunus issuing from rockwork see Robert W.L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1995, pp. 60-61, no. 30.
See, also, Christie's, New York, The Reif Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 18 October 1993, lot 247 (illustrated on the front cover) for a bottle formerly in the Albert Pyke Collection, of rectangular shape with daisy, camellia and hibiscus.
For an example painted with prunus, peony and bamboo bearing iron-red guyuexuan mark, see Sotheby's, New York, 27 June 1986, lot 33 (illustrated on the front cover) and previously offered at Sotheby's, New York, 3 October 1980, lot 80.
An unmarked bottle, presumably from the same group, is illustrated in Chinese Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1977, Catalogue, fig. 56.
For a very similar example of slender pear shape with black enamelled guyuexuan mark, see Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, London, 1987, pp. 94-95, no. 47.
See also an article by Clare Lawrence entitled, 'Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom, The Monimer Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', I.C.S.B.S., Journal, Summer, 1997, p. 6, fig. 13 for a slender ovoid example painted with chrysanthemum and prunus.
See, also, a rare Qianlong-marked Guyuexuan type enamelled clear glass waterpot sold at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, The Paul and Helen Bernat Collection of Important Qing Imperial Porcelain and Works of Art, 15 November 1988, lot 76
For another example of rounded rectangular shape with a clear glass ground but with prunus issuing from rockwork see Robert W.L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1995, pp. 60-61, no. 30.
See, also, Christie's, New York, The Reif Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 18 October 1993, lot 247 (illustrated on the front cover) for a bottle formerly in the Albert Pyke Collection, of rectangular shape with daisy, camellia and hibiscus.
For an example painted with prunus, peony and bamboo bearing iron-red guyuexuan mark, see Sotheby's, New York, 27 June 1986, lot 33 (illustrated on the front cover) and previously offered at Sotheby's, New York, 3 October 1980, lot 80.
An unmarked bottle, presumably from the same group, is illustrated in Chinese Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1977, Catalogue, fig. 56.
For a very similar example of slender pear shape with black enamelled guyuexuan mark, see Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles, London, 1987, pp. 94-95, no. 47.
See also an article by Clare Lawrence entitled, 'Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom, The Monimer Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', I.C.S.B.S., Journal, Summer, 1997, p. 6, fig. 13 for a slender ovoid example painted with chrysanthemum and prunus.
See, also, a rare Qianlong-marked Guyuexuan type enamelled clear glass waterpot sold at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, The Paul and Helen Bernat Collection of Important Qing Imperial Porcelain and Works of Art, 15 November 1988, lot 76