清十八 / 十九世紀 涅白地套翠青料「螭龍祥蝠」圖環繩耳鼻煙壺

Hugh M. Moss Ltd.，1982年
Belfort 收藏，1986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949

A minute, insignificnat chip to the inner lip, barely visible. Otherwise, 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."

While a number of features of this bottle indicate a mid-Qing date, it is perhaps more likely to date from the late Qianlong period than the early nineteenth century. In spite of its refined style, with remarkably thin carving of some of the relief details, it is rather formulaic. The dragon has become more a symbol than a beast moving gracefully through space, as it is on Sale 4, lot 80. By the late Qianlong period these creatures had been carved at court for so long and so often that forms became standardized. One cannot escape the impression of a carver simply selecting one of many standard options, for this dragon is rendered with little regard to how it might move in space, or how its musculature would be accentuated by such movements. The most telling point, however, is that the overlay colour kisses the edge of no more than half the protruding foot rim, the rest being white. Although the carving is finely controlled, a foot rim like this clearly indicates that standards had dropped dramatically from the heights of the early and mid-Qianlong reign, something unlikely to have happened before the last part of the reign.

The rope rings are a very rare feature and may also strengthen a likely imperial attribution, since rope designs were a popular court staple. The same applies to such archaistic elements as the raised bosses and formalized ‘cloud’ motifs, which might also be read here as simplified ruyi.