清十八世紀 雪霏地套寳石藍料「鳳凰瑞鶴」圖鼻煙壺

Hugh M. Moss Ltd.，1972年前入藏
Heflene 收藏
Hugh M. Moss Ltd.，香港，1985年

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷5，香港，2002年，編號924

A possible repir to a chip from the lip, perhaps the original piece has been replaced? A partially polished chip from the inner footrim. Barely perceptible chip in the sapphire blus overlay, on the tip of the lingzhi sprouting from the right of the rocky platform.
"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 approach to the subject here is more detailed than was the case with Sale 2, lot 69 and Sale 7, lot 137, but stylistically it has much in common with them, and is certainly from the same general group. The style of carving of the bamboo leaves is very similar, although they are not so regularly clustered. On its last outing a possible Kangxi date was suggested for this bottle, but if any one of the group represented by this and the previous three examples were Kangxi, there would appear to be an unusually large number of Kangxi glass overlay bottles extant, all in remarkably good condition. Were they as early as the Kangxi period, one would expect to find far fewer, and a great many more of them with crizzling.

In an apparent moment of lapidary whimsy, the ample foot rim here has been cut so that the outer two-thirds is in the overlay colour while the remainder is in the ground colour. There was sufficient blue to have achieved a neatly defined foot rim of acceptable width of a single colour, so this is certainly not an instance of the artist running out of colour, as may have been the case with Sale 7, lot 137. It clearly represents a conscious choice to fashion an idiosyncratic foot rim, there is no record of another like it.