A CAMEO AGATE ‘KATYDID’ SNUFF BOTTLE, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1800-1880

拍品描述

A CAMEO AGATE ‘KATYDID’ SNUFF BOTTLE, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1800-1880 China. Well hollowed, of rounded rectangular form standing on a short oval foot ring, rising to a cylindrical neck with a gently concave lip, carved in high-relief through an upper layer of mottled olive green and russet with a lone katydid crawling atop a gourd-form cricket cage decorated with cash coins, the deep olive green-beige-colored body left plain to the narrow sides. Stopper: Movable reticulated copper in the form of a sinuous chilong on a black vinyl collar Dimensions: Height including stopper 83 mm. Diameter neck 23 mm and mouth 9 mm. Expert’s note: The depiction of the cricket is masterful. Its body has been fully delineated and its large rear legs appear to be in process of rubbing against each other to begin its distinctive song. Note also the delightful touch of the cricket actively cleaning its left antennae with its front leg. The cash symbols are extremely well rendered and whilst there is no reason for the artist to carve out the negative space in the mouth of the gourd vessel, it is actually very effective in encouraging a feeling of an empty space within. According to Moss, Graham, and Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J&J Collection, p. 598, no 359, the design of a cricket, or a cricket on its cage may be intended to exhort the recipient to maintain loyalty to the emperor. Whatever the possible reading, it does mirror the immense popularity of the cricket in Chinese society. They were enjoyed for both their singing but perhaps more importantly for their fighting prowess. The best crickets could make a fortune for their owners and thus the use of cash symbols on the cricket cage can add another layer of meaning. The depiction of crickets became a very popular one on snuff bottles particularly during the first half of the nineteenth century and particularly so during the reign of the Daoguang emperor (1820-1850) at the porcelain factories at Jingdezhen, when numerous examples were made, presumably at the height of the craze. This same fascination with crickets was also mirrored in the vast production of gourd cricket cages during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Literature comparison: Compare a related Official School agate snuff bottle with Katydid that ate Beijing, dated 1760-1840, 7.4 cm tall, illustrated International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Journal - the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society: XXXIV.No.1.2002, Maryland, 1974, back cover. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 23 March 2026, lot 261 Price: USD 4,480 or approx. EUR 4,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and similar incorporation of the inclusions. Note the size (6.4 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 16 May 2013, lot 210 Price: GBP 5,000 or approx. EUR 8,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject but different rendition. Note the size (7.3 cm).

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