A MOLDED AND CARVED YELLOW-GLAZED PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE

of slender, flattened pear form, decorated in relief on both faces with a coiling five-clawed dragon chasing a 'flaming pearl' amongst cloud scrolls, the underside of the base with a raised molded four character mark Ziqin Zhenwan

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29th April 1992, lot 399.

Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 279, no. 458.

Good condition. The tip of the dragon's nose is rubbed on both sides through to the white body. On one side there is a small greyish flaw in the glaze on the dragon's tail - this is visible in the catalogue photo where it shows up more strongly than on the piece itself. There is a minor fring fault on the edge of the mouth which appears as a slight crease in the porcelain. The stopper has two chips to the edge.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The mark may be translated as 'Precious Collection of Ziqin'. Since this is not a known potter's mark, it is likely that this is a collector's mark added during manufacture when the bottle was commissioned by its future owner.

A number of molded porcelain bottles with dragon subjects are known, including a group of rounded rectangular form with the dragon in higher relief on a pierced ground which bear the seal mark of Wang Bingrong. An example of this type is in The Crane Collection, www.thecranecollection.com, no. 51. The fine quality of the carving on the present example is however closer to that found on the group of biscuit and monochrome-glazed pear shaped bottles carved with cranes, also by Wang Bingrong, for an example of which see lot 127 in the present sale.