A FINELY CARVED AGATE 'HAWK AND THREE FRIENDS OF WINTER' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, 1770-1860

well-hollowed, of oval section, skillfully utilizing the ink-like inclusions and the gradation of color in the stone to highlight the relief design of a hawk visiting 'The Three Friends of Winter'

The bottle is in good overall 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 on this snuff bottle is very similar to the work on a group of snuff bottles illustrated in Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Hong Kong, 1995, Vol. 2, part 2, nos. 319-325, pp. 374-391. These bottles from the Official School are believed by the authors to have been made by an artist they call 'The Cameo Ink-play Master' because of the imaginative use of the inclusions to create designs that resemble ink-play. This creative use of the stone's natural inclusions is apparent in this present lot, where the solid inclusion has been used to create the bamboo, and the splash-like inclusions have been used to highlight the pine, prunus and hawk.