SUZHOU SCHOOL, 1750-1820

The most successful jade bottles from Suzhou created in the late 18th-early 19th century are those which exploit the strong contrasting tones in the stone. These contrasts are used to create decorative scenes on snuff bottles. This can be seen in lot 804 in the current sale, where the carver used the deep russet tones of the stone to highlight the figure's robe and the overhanging branches. The russet mottling is much more subtle on the current example and in turn relies on the masterful carving to enhance the scene. Another bottle from this group was sold in Snuff Bottles from the Mary & George Bloch Collection: Part IX, Sotheby's Hong Kong, 24 November 2014, lot 78.