Lot 717
717
A CARVED CAMEO AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
This lot is offered without reserve.
A CARVED CAMEO AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE

1760-1850

Details
A CARVED CAMEO AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
1760-1850
The bottle is carved on one side using the dark brown inclusions in the stone with a grazing horse, and on one narrow side with a lingzhi fungus on a rock, all against a soft honey-brown ground.
2 ¼ in. (5.7 cm.) high, glass stopper
Provenance
Robert Kleiner, Belfont Company Ltd., Hong Kong, 1995.
Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, no. 1786.
Special notice
This lot is offered without reserve.

Brought to you by

Andrew Lick
Andrew Lick
+1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

For other masterly bottles with horses see Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, Vol. 1, nos. 134, 151 and 153, where the symbolism of fat and thin horses is given, explaining that one represents the honest official (the thin one) who remains poor and honest, the other the corrupt official, who gets fat through his corruption. Such bottles were probably distributed as a reminder by the Court to officials, but might also have been given between officials, also as a reminder to serve the Emperor loyally and the people honestly.

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