CHINE, XVIIIEME-XIXEME SIECLE

Details

TABATIERE EN VERRE 'AIGUE-MARINE' SCULPTE
CHINE, XVIIIEME-XIXEME SIECLE
De forme rectangulaire aplatie, les angles arrondis, le verre imitant l'aigue-marine, à décor continu et sculpté de fleurs de lotus, le bouchon en verre rose imitant la tourmaline
Hauteur: 7 cm. (2¾ in.)

Provenance

R. Hall, London, 1994

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. No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT payable at 19.6% (5.5% for books) will be added to the buyer’s premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Further details

A CARVED AQUAMARINE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
CHINA, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

Brought to you by

Mathilde Courteault

mcourteault@christies.com +33 (0)1 40 76 86 05

Lot Essay

Semi-precious stones came into vogue after one of their sources of supply, in Turkestan, was brought into the Chinese Empire as Xinjiang province with the conquest of 1759. However, the material that was large enough for a snuff bottle was always flawed, prompting imitations in glass which could be made to look like flawless stone. The eighteenth-century Court took pleasure in all things novel, which included the concept of teasing the eye by recreating more precious materials in glass. Because of the versatility of glass as a material and the multitude of colors that were easily produced, it was often used to simulate such material as jade, jadeite, colored hardstones, realgar and amber, among others. The markings and
color of the present bottle bring to mind aquamarine.

More from Art d'Asie

View All