A WHITE JADE 'LOTUS LEAVES' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG / JIAQING PERIOD

Collection of Janos Szekeres.
Sotheby's New York, 27th October 1986, lot 127.

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. 32.

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."

The foot detail on this bottle is unusual, giving the impression of a calyx with much smaller leaves radiating from a central point where the stem of the flower has been cut, but it is probably no more than an unusual detail in formalising the lotus petals. There are a number of different varieties of lotus, some with fewer and larger petals, the largest being outside and encompassing the smaller ones on the inside as they close up during their daily cycle, and others with more and smaller petals. The intention here, however, is probably to formalise the petals in the same way as is done on the pedestals of Buddhist religious objects.

Like basket-weave snuff bottles that have the neck of the bottle emerging from the basket, the design here is intended to double as a lotus-petal form and as a snuff bottle enclosed within lotus petals, which is the standard for this design. The design is also found in other materials, notably glass.

This example has unusual depth to the carving and, consequently, more three-dimensionality to the petals than some other examples. The foot is incorporated as part of the design, as on Sale 6, lot 149, with its calyx-like small band of petals creating a naturalistic foot rim. This is standard for the jade examples, but in other materials is unusual, the foot often being made a continuation of the upward-pointing lotus leaves or made of a curling lotus-leaf stem supporting a leaf around the base of the bottle.

The carving of each individual petal is extremely painstaking here, with a carefully rounded profile edged by a distinct lip to each petal to flare it out at the edges, adding very considerably to the textural dimension of this rather formal bottle. All of the other jade examples quoted have somewhat similar features and all are imposing and probably from the same workshops, perhaps at the palace. These workshops come immediately to mind when glass and hardstone bottles appear to follow identical design concepts and carving style.