Lot Essay
For an identical bottle see Sotheby's, New York, November 3, 1982, lot 133, where the central cruciform design is called 'the keys of St. Peter'. For further discussion see Emily Byrne Curtis, Christian Motifs in Chinese Snuff Bottles, Arts of Asia, January-February, 1982, p. 89, where the author illustrated a similar example, and mentioned another in the Fuller Collection, Seattle Art Museum. Another sold Sotheby's, New York, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Eric Young, Part II, October 13, 1987, lot 127, where it is suggested that the decoration of the bottle (carved keys of St. Peter, surrounded by a baroque shell border) is probably inspired by that on the old Summer Palace in Beijing, which had a number of shell motifs on its walls
If, indeed, European influence is present, it would be just as plausible to suggest another source, that of the Western heraldic device. Numerous British coats-of-arms exist where the central heraldic device is one of a cross, ranging from the botonny, flory and patonce, to the moline, potent and crosslet. Such coats-of-arms were painted in enamels on Chinese porcelain for export to Europe from the 1730's onwards. For various examples see D. S. Howard, Chinese Armorial Porcelain, London, 1974, p. 245, E.6; p. 328, J.5; p. 416, P.6; p. 486, P.20; p. 618, S.2. Of these, the first listed, the arms of Upton, bears closest comparison to the carving on the present lot, and it is interesting to note that one family member, John Upton, was a wealthy East India merchant in London, where descendants ordered the service in the 1740's. However, close scrutiny of the carving of this bottle, particularly the fine incising of the furling petals, seems to suggest that the design is really no more than a stylized flowerhead and that at best it can be interpreted as a misunderstood European design and at worst merely fanciful interpretation by the present-day reader
Another identical bottle is illustrated by Rachelle R. Holden, Rivers and Mountains Far from the World, New York, 1994, pp. 256-257, no. 112
If, indeed, European influence is present, it would be just as plausible to suggest another source, that of the Western heraldic device. Numerous British coats-of-arms exist where the central heraldic device is one of a cross, ranging from the botonny, flory and patonce, to the moline, potent and crosslet. Such coats-of-arms were painted in enamels on Chinese porcelain for export to Europe from the 1730's onwards. For various examples see D. S. Howard, Chinese Armorial Porcelain, London, 1974, p. 245, E.6; p. 328, J.5; p. 416, P.6; p. 486, P.20; p. 618, S.2. Of these, the first listed, the arms of Upton, bears closest comparison to the carving on the present lot, and it is interesting to note that one family member, John Upton, was a wealthy East India merchant in London, where descendants ordered the service in the 1740's. However, close scrutiny of the carving of this bottle, particularly the fine incising of the furling petals, seems to suggest that the design is really no more than a stylized flowerhead and that at best it can be interpreted as a misunderstood European design and at worst merely fanciful interpretation by the present-day reader
Another identical bottle is illustrated by Rachelle R. Holden, Rivers and Mountains Far from the World, New York, 1994, pp. 256-257, no. 112