PROBABLY IMPERIAL, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1760-1800

Details

A CARVED CHALCEDONY SNUFF BOTTLE
PROBABLY IMPERIAL, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1760-1800
The bottle is carved on one side in high relief through a layer of translucent pale emerald-green color with three frogs amidst lotus above stylized waves in a darker area of the stone, all on a ground of icy grey color.
2 in. (5 cm.) high, pink tourmaline stopper and metal spoon

Provenance

Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong, 2001.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, no. 3163.

Exhibited

Boston, International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society Convention, The Barron Collection, 23-26 September 2008.

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve.

Brought to you by

Andrew Lick

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

Of transparent bright green stone, the carved surface of the current bottle is very close in appearance to Imperial carved glass overlay bottles. The hardness of the stone allows it to be finished with a glossy polish, resembling glass in yet another way.

For two other agate examples with a layer of translucent green dendritic material see Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Vol. 2, Part 2, Hong Kong, 1998, pp. 354-57, nos. 311 and 312.

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