清乾隆 料胎畫琺瑯「梅蝶」圖鼻煙壺 《古月軒》款

Marian Mayer
Richard Bourne，Hyannis，1988年12月14日，編號171
Robert Hall，倫敦，1985年

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷6，香港，2007年，編號1094

Two barely visible chips to the inner lip. A minute nibble to the outer footrim. A small black mark showing throught the glass from the inside. Minor surface abrasions from use.
"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 piece represents the third series in a broad group of mid-Qianlong experimental enamels on glass (see, in the order in which they were discussed in Treasury 6, Sale 7, lot 145; Sale 5, lot 99; Sale 3, lot 90; Sale 6, lot 206; Sale 5, lot 62; Sale 6, lot 265; and Sale 1, lot 120). Mostly on a range of translucent white glass typical of the period and the palace, the wares in this series are reasonably well controlled technically; there is some pitting of certain troublesome colours when applied thickly, but as a rule the enamels are relatively thin and, probably for that reason, more successful – the thicker the enamels, the harder they were to control in the multiple firings needed to achieve such thickness. The designs, when of scenery rather than auspicious objects, tend to be of the rather naïve folk-art style typified here. Many of them are also in the smaller range of snuff bottle sizes, although far from being miniatures.

The state of wear over a broad range of recorded examples is commensurate with a Qianlong date, as are the frequently worn, thinly enamelled Guyue xuan marks that appear on the majority of them where the foot has not been subsequently ground or polished, although iron-red Qianlong four character marks also appear. They were obviously another group inspired by the demand for wares associated with the Guyue xuan, and may represent a second or third enameller (depending upon how many people were involved in producing the Wu Yuchuan 吳玉川wares, for which see Sale 1, lot 120 and Sale 6, lot 265).

The characteristic neck and shoulder borders here are obviously linked to the Guyue xuan group (compare this and Sale 6, lot 228).

The mark here is almost worn off and close to being invisible, and the enamels are also worn at the surface, making them less shiny than they would originally have looked. As a rule these bottles have iron-red regular-script Guyue xuan marks, but they are also found with Qianlong marks.

For others of the broader group, see Christie’s Hong Kong, 2nd May 1995, lot 1398; Christie’s New York, 28th March 1996, lot 123; Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th April 1996, lot 585 (a faceted bottle of a typically palace shape); Sotheby’s New York, 25th October 1997, lots 22 and 49 (two very similar bottles from the Mack Collection); Christie’s South Kensington, 4th October 1999, lot 181 (also from the Mack Collection); Sotheby’s New York, 23rd March 1998, lot 50; and, in the same sale, lot 70 (which is very close to this example in subject matter and style).