1740-1820

Details

**A VERY FINELY CARVED AMBER SNUFF BOTTLE
1740-1820
The flawless, transparent material of variegated golden-brown tone, carved in the form of two carp intertwined with a lotus root and flower and a conch shell, the mouth of the larger fish forming the mouth of the bottle, the smaller carp spewing water from its mouth towards a small snail sliding down the head of the larger fish, white jade stopper
2 in. (5.1 cm.) high

Provenance

Mrs. Roy E. Tomlinson, Montclair, New Jersey
The Montclair Art Museum, (Accession no. 66.104.5, 1966)
Sotheby's New York, 23 September 1995, lot 111
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd.

Literature

Schuyler V.R. Cammann, Miniature Art From Old China. Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Montclair Art Museum Collections, 1982, no. 380

Exhibited

Christie's, Los Angeles 2003

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

This bottle is carved from nearly flawless amber, which to some extent is disguised by the heavily detailed carving. This example belongs to a group of early figural bottles in amber, which echoes a series of similar nephrite bottles probably produced for the Court during the eighteenth and early nineteenth century.

The symbolism inherent in this design conveys a wish for wealth and progeny. A large (da) carp (liyu) is a homonym for 'big profit' (da li), while the combination of a fish (yu) and lotus (lian) sounds like the expression liannian youyu ('May you have plenty year after year'). The lotus seed pod is an obvious emblem of fertility, as is the snail since snails reproduce copiously.

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