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Lot Essay
This exquisite bottle belongs to a small group of almost identical bottles which are from the early-Qianlong reign and were probably made at Jingdezhen under the directorship of Tang Ying (1682-1756). The overall group is distinguished by thinly potted forms, relatively wide mouths and exquisite artistry combined with impeccable technical skills in firing the enamels. Prior to his appointment to the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen in 1728, Tang Ying had worked at the Palace workshops in Beijing. An accomplished artist, he was frequently called upon to design works of art made in the Palace and at Jingdezhen for the Court. At Jingdezhen, he thoroughly learned the ceramic arts and is known to have produced his own ware. There is also evidence that he may have actually painted snuff bottles himself on occasions.
A virtually identical double-gourd-shaped bottle in the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated in Snuff Bottles - The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 47, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 201, no. 311, where a famille rose porcelain bottle is also illustrated with a similar four-character seal mark within a square written in black enamel, p. 194, no. 304. Other similar examples include one in the Percival David Foundation, illustrated by Lady David in Ch'ing Enamelled Wares in the Percival David Foundation, London, 1958, no. 836, and one in the collection of Denis Low, illustrated by D. S. K. Low, More Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 174, no. 160.
This bottle was originally one of two in the J & J Collection, but as they were not strictly a pair but two of a larger series, it was felt that two were unnecessary. The mate was released and acquired first by Eric Young and subsequently by Mary and George Bloch. See R. L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles form the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 163, no. 220.
A virtually identical double-gourd-shaped bottle in the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated in Snuff Bottles - The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 47, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 201, no. 311, where a famille rose porcelain bottle is also illustrated with a similar four-character seal mark within a square written in black enamel, p. 194, no. 304. Other similar examples include one in the Percival David Foundation, illustrated by Lady David in Ch'ing Enamelled Wares in the Percival David Foundation, London, 1958, no. 836, and one in the collection of Denis Low, illustrated by D. S. K. Low, More Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 174, no. 160.
This bottle was originally one of two in the J & J Collection, but as they were not strictly a pair but two of a larger series, it was felt that two were unnecessary. The mate was released and acquired first by Eric Young and subsequently by Mary and George Bloch. See R. L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles form the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 163, no. 220.