A WHITE JADE ‘BAT’ SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, MID-18TH / MID-19TH CENTURY

extremely well hollowed, carved in the form of a bat; the bronze stopper with a gilt-bronze finial carved with formalised petals

Collection of Alice B. McReynolds.
Sotheby’s New York, 16th April 1985, lot 160.

Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch at the Galleries of Sydney L. Moss, Ltd., Sydney Moss, London, 1987, cat. no. 57.
Creditanstalt, Vienna, 1993.
Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, The British Museum, London, 1995, cat. no. 89.
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol.1, Hong Kong, 1996, no. 48.
Carol Michaelson, 'The Use of Archaism as a Decorative Motif in Snuff Bottles', Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Winter 2000, p. 10.

The snuff bottle is overall in very good condition. The lip and footrim are in good condition.The actual colour of the white jade is somewhat warmer compared to the catalogue illustration and there are darker grey specks in the material as showing on the photo.
"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."

This rare bat-form bottle seems to fit into the group of superbly carved, very well hollowed animal-form bottles represented by further bottles from the Bloch collection, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28th May 2010, lot 19; 23rd November 2010, lot 113; and 25th May 2011, lot 118. Although the material has prominent grey flecking throughout the stone, which is unusual for the group, the material is otherwise rather similar, as are the quality of the carving, degree of hollowing, soft matt polish, and the fact that the mouth of the bottle is drilled straight through the detailing of the bat's mouth.