1785-1850

This possibly unique, early silver bottle is among the very few surviving antique silver bottles and is certainly among the most striking. It appears to have to been inspired by an Imperial molded porcelain bottle from the late Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, and is a near identical version of the molded porcelain bottle from the collection of Mary and George Bloch, illustrated in Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Mary and George Bloch Collection, 2008, Hong Kong, Vol. 6, Part 2, no. 1212, pp. 474-475. On both bottles, the poet Su Shi is shown with companions on a boat being guided by two attendants, with the reverse depicting a pre-Song-dynasty scholar inscribing a cliff face. Moss points out that "these scenes of boating with friends and inscribing poems not only summon to the Chinese mind eminent historical figures remembered for having participated in these activities, they are also reminiscent of some of the favorite pastimes pursued by intellectuals."

Another silver bottle modeled after a molded porcelain bottle was sold at Christie's New York, The J & J Collection: Part III, 29 March 2006, lot 11. It is arguably the only other known silver bottle inspired by a mid-Qing molded porcelain bottle.