A MOTHER OF PEARL 'GOURD' SNUFF BOTTLE, 1750-1830

拍品描述

A MOTHER OF PEARL 'GOURD' SNUFF BOTTLE, 1750-1830 China. Delicately pierced and carved to suit the shape of the shell, intricately formed in the shape of an elongated melon, borne on an open worked gnarled branch issuing a smaller gourd in high relief, the body further carved in relief to depict luxuriant sprigs issuing leafy vines. Stopper: Apple-green jadeite carved as a stem Dimensions: Height including stopper 82 mm. Diameter mouth 5 mm. After the end of the 19th century when the demand for Chinese snuff bottles was considerably increased, many finely carved early pendants, amulets and hardstone carvings were converted into snuff bottles. Most of these were created for a collector's market which, however, does not rule out the possibility of earlier examples converted for the use of snuff takers. This bottle was probably originally a pendant. Literature comparison: Compare a related mother-of-pearl ‘finger citron’ snuff bottle, dated 19th century, 7.3 cm tall, at Sotheby's Auction 7033: the Gery P. Mack Collection of Important Chinese Snuff Bottles: 25 October 1997, no. 233. Compare two related mother-of-pearl snuff bottles carved as gourds, both dated 1820-1900, the first 5.1 cm tall, the second 6 cm tall, illustrated in Hugh M. Moss, Chinese snuff bottles from the collection of the Rt. Hon. The Marquess of Exeter, K.C.M.G., London, 1974, p. 22, 24, and 25, no. 0.53 and 0.54. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2012, lot 41 Price: HKD 25,000 or approx. EUR 4,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related rare material and similar modeling of the gourd. Note the size (5.8 cm).

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