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A BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN 'DRAGON' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY
Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 HKD
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Description
with a very slightly concave circular foot, painted under the glaze with a continuous design of an imperial five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl surrounded by formalized clouds and flames above another dragon rising from formalized waves, the lip with a band of five formalized bats all facing inwards, the unglazed foot carved with a series of concentric circles, the lip, inner neck, and interior glazed; the coral branch stopper with a gilt-silver collar
Provenance
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1979.
Literature
Hugh Moss, 'The Wrong End of the Dragon', Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Winter 2008, p. 18, fig. 6.
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. 1273.
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. 1273.
Condition
There are some tiny glaze frits around the outer lip and some superficial surface scratches. Otherwise the snuff bottle is in 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. 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
Cylindrical blue and white bottles painted with dragons are known to have been made during the nineteenth century. The group is discussed in Hugh Moss, ‘The Wrong End of the Dragon’, Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Winter 2008, pp. 16-22, where it is suggested that these bottles were inspired by columns decorated with wrapped carpets embroidered with dragons. This example is the thinnest known for its height and is one of the rarest variants of the group known. See another example from the Bloch collection, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28th May 2010, lot 134.