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Lot Essay
During the Qianlong period, under the directorship of Tang Ying at Jingdezhen, a series of spectacular enameled porcelain snuff bottles was produced in very small quantities for the Court. This set the standard for Imperial production of porcelain snuff bottles into the Daoguang period, although stylistically the designs and forms changed considerably over the century of their production. This rare example demonstrates the strong influence of Tang Ying's style and quality of enameling.
Not only is the style of enameling typical of Imperial production, but the shape also makes reference to Court arts. The octagonal profile and raised circular panel are taken from the Palace glass shape, which in turn was taken from the shape of a European pocket watch. See a similar bottle with puce-enameled narrow sides, illustrated by M. Hughes, The Blair Bequest. Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Princeton University Art Museum, no. 202. Another bottle of the same shape and subject, but with simple dot borders, is illustrated by H. Moss in "Porcelain Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Alex S. Cussons", JICSBS, June 1976, p. 4, no. 1; while another example with iron-red decoration on the edges and narrow sides is in the Denis Low Collection, illustrated by R. Kleiner, Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, pp. 158-159. Floral designs on a white ground with formalized floral surrounds are also typical of Palace subject matter derived from a range of enameled glass and metal wares of the eighteenth century.
See also a set of ten Jiaqing mark-and-period Imperial porcelain bottles also produced at Jingdezhen illustrated in Snuff Bottles in the Collection of the National Palace Museum, no. 90.
Not only is the style of enameling typical of Imperial production, but the shape also makes reference to Court arts. The octagonal profile and raised circular panel are taken from the Palace glass shape, which in turn was taken from the shape of a European pocket watch. See a similar bottle with puce-enameled narrow sides, illustrated by M. Hughes, The Blair Bequest. Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Princeton University Art Museum, no. 202. Another bottle of the same shape and subject, but with simple dot borders, is illustrated by H. Moss in "Porcelain Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Alex S. Cussons", JICSBS, June 1976, p. 4, no. 1; while another example with iron-red decoration on the edges and narrow sides is in the Denis Low Collection, illustrated by R. Kleiner, Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, pp. 158-159. Floral designs on a white ground with formalized floral surrounds are also typical of Palace subject matter derived from a range of enameled glass and metal wares of the eighteenth century.
See also a set of ten Jiaqing mark-and-period Imperial porcelain bottles also produced at Jingdezhen illustrated in Snuff Bottles in the Collection of the National Palace Museum, no. 90.