1740-1880

Details

TWO SANDWICHED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLES
1740-1880
The first, probably Imperial Glassworks, Beijing, 1740-1850, is of elongated, tapering cylindrical form. The lemon-yellow glass is suffused with dark brown swirls. The second, 1770-1880, is of high-shouldered tapering form. The ochre-red glass is suffused with brilliant orange splashes, the effect suggestive of realgar. Together with an opaque yellow snuff dish of yellow color shading to brown.
2 3/16 and 2 3/8 in. (5.6 and 6.1 cm) high; 1¾ in. (4.5 cm) diam., glass and jadeite stopper (2)

Provenance

Yellow glass bottle: Bob Stevens Collection (Part II); Sotheby Parke Bernet New York, 26 March 1982, lot 39.
'Realgar' glass bottle:
Collection of Elizabeth Chevalier.
Mei Ling Collection; Sotheby's New York, 15 March 1984, lot 216.

Exhibited

Yellow glass bottle: Taipei Gallery, New York, Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1-29 October 1993, p. 9.

Special notice

Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. As a convenience to our bidders, we have marked these lots with Y. Please be advised that a purchaser¹s inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string).

Lot Essay

The yellow glass bottle bears intriguing, swirled markings reminiscent of painterly brushstrokes. For a related bottle with similar markings and a Wanya Xuan ('Studio of Refined Amusement') seal mark, 1740-1820, see Moss, Graham, Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, Vol. II, New York, 1993, p. 576, no. 343.

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