JAPAN, 1860-1920

Details

**A FINELY CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER SNUFF BOTTLE
JAPAN, 1860-1920
Of flattened shape with flat lip and slightly recessed, flat oval foot surrounded by a footrim, carved in deep relief through an upper layer of red on a middle layer of green to reveal the base layer of orange with a continuous scene of a scholar arriving on a horse, on the shore of a lake, with two attendants, one carrying a large umbrella over his head, the other holding a stick, as he is greeted by a woman, bowing slightly towards him, while another stands behind her gazing back at a pleasure boat, being negotiated towards the shore by two boatmen, one with a long paddle at the prow, another seated at the tiller in the stern, the covered central section with three women, one seated, two standing, all in a landscape scene with rocks, a pine tree, a willow, plantain and other foliage and with different formalized diaper patterns for the ground and the water, a band of clouds above separating the design from a shoulder band of pendant leaf-lappets, and a neck border of double-unit leiwen, the base with a band of pendant formalized petals between banded borders, the foot inscribed Qianlong nian zhi ('Made in the Qianlong period') in regular script, the inner neck and lip bronze, cinnabar-red and green lacquer on bronze stopper carved with a formalized peony motif in red, superimposed upon a formalized chrysanthemum petal motif in green; bronze collar

3 1/8 in. (7.94 cm.) high

Provenance

Sotheby's, London, 3 December 1997, lot 466
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd.

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 is an exceptional example of a small group of superbly carved lacquer and ivory snuff bottles made in Japan between about 1860 and the early-twentieth century discussed under lot 39. For other examples of the group, see B. Stevens, The Collectors Book of Snuff Bottles, no. 1018 (ivory), no. 753 (two color lacquer), no. 757, (two color lacquer and ivory); Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, nos. 314-317 (lacquer); Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, no. 354 (lacquer and ivory), and no. 355 (two color lacquer).

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