A YELLOW JADE SNUFF BOTTLE

very well hollowed, of flattened square form with rounded shoulders below a cylindrical neck, the neatly carved foot of oval shape, brilliantly carved on one face using the yellow-beige skin, depicting a boy flanked by a crane and a basket containing two peaches, atop a raft carved from a pine tree, the figure paddling with a long staff while a beribboned double-gourd dangles from a pine branch, all above finely incised cresting waves, the uncarved areas of the stone of an even celadon-yellow color

Property of B. T. Lyons Esq.
Sotheby's London, 20th April 1982, lot 170.

Hong Kong Museum of Art, Chinese Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong, 1977, cat.no. 154.

This is in overall very good condition.
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 carving of the skin, ingeniously rendered to create a vignette of a lively scene, lends a striking contrast to the jade's otherwise undecorated smooth surface and patina. The present bottle is comparable to one in the Seattle Art Museum, illustrated in Bob C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, New York and Tokyo, 1976, fig. 425, which is carved with Shoulao and a monkey below the shade of a pine tree.