Lot Essay
The lotus (he) leaf wrapped around (bao) a big (da) carp (liyu) is a rebus for hebao dali (May your purse be filled with good profits). Alternatively, the same subject of a lotus (also known as lian) leaf wrapped around a fish (yu) may remind one of the saying liannian youyu (May you have plenty year after year). A popular mid-Qing motif, this design is seen on a variety of glass overlay bottles. See a similar red overlay example in H. Moss, Snuff Bottles of China, no. 207; and two comparable snuff bottles in H. White, Snuff Bottles from China. The Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, p. 184, fig. 3 and p. 190, fig. 1.