- 128
AN ENAMELLED WHITE GLASS 'CAT AND BUTTERFLIES' SNUFF BOTTLE GUYUEXUAN MARK, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD
Estimate
300,000 - 350,000 HKD
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Description
- glass
Provenance
Collection of Harriet Hamilton.
Chimiles Collection, 1996.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1997.
Chimiles Collection, 1996.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1997.
Literature
Harriet H. Hamilton, Oriental Snuff Bottles, Palo Alto, CA, 1977, p. 91, no. G-102.
Hugh Moss, 'Mysteries of the Ancient Moon', Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Spring 2006, p. 29, fig. 36, centre.
Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 6, Hong Kong, 2007, no. 1106.
Hugh Moss, 'Mysteries of the Ancient Moon', Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Spring 2006, p. 29, fig. 36, centre.
Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 6, Hong Kong, 2007, no. 1106.
Condition
Circular raised area above the cats ear. Original flaw or repair? Further small raised blemishes to the two top corners of the main side and to one of the narrow sides. Original flaws?
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The group to which this piece belongs is closely related, chronologically, artistically, and technically to the classic Guyuexuan wares (see Sale 1, lot 135; Sale 2, lot 77; Sale 3, lot 138; Sale 6, lots 228 and 238; and Sale 7, lots 118 and 148). Although they are usually distinguishable, there are enough common features, with the occasional overlap of a range of these features, to suggest a closely related group. It is possible that both groups were palace products from the 1770s to 1799.
The pale iron-red regular script found here is standard for wares produced at the court for the Guyuexuan. One of the flying insects has coloured wings and is presumably a butterfly, while the other, with only black wings, may be intended as a bee, but otherwise looks very much like the butterfly. Whatever the intent, an identical insect with precisely the same iron-red markings on its yellow body and in a similar diving pose appears on a similarly marked example in the imperial collection in Beijing (Li Jiufang 2002, no. 22). That bottle has a similar blue rock and the same range of asters in several different colours. The two are surely from the same enamelling team.
The pale iron-red regular script found here is standard for wares produced at the court for the Guyuexuan. One of the flying insects has coloured wings and is presumably a butterfly, while the other, with only black wings, may be intended as a bee, but otherwise looks very much like the butterfly. Whatever the intent, an identical insect with precisely the same iron-red markings on its yellow body and in a similar diving pose appears on a similarly marked example in the imperial collection in Beijing (Li Jiufang 2002, no. 22). That bottle has a similar blue rock and the same range of asters in several different colours. The two are surely from the same enamelling team.