Description: The duan stone of pure quality and with a good patina, smooth surface polish and neatly carved and incised decor in light relief
China, 1760-1820
Of flattened globular shape with tall neck, carved in low relief to the main side with a coiling dragon in a medallion amidst cloud scrolls, the narrow sides with lion-mask fixed-ring handles, the backside left plain.
The shape and the distinctive mask and ring handles, as well as the subject and style, identify it as one of a small group of bottles in this material which presumably all come from the same workshop. In fact, although this is a small group, it contains the majority of snuff bottles of Duan stone, which was not often used outside of the production of inkstones. They are characterized by low-relief designs of distinctive dragons, the distinguishing features of which are bulky haunches and short, multiple-spiked tails, set amidst clouds; or by kui dragons, often in the form of the character long ('dragon').
Shape: Flattened globular
Hollowing: Excellent
Mouth, neck and lip: Elongated sprawling neck with convex top
Base: Oval base with raised foot rim
Design, marks, school: ATTRIBUTED TO GUANGDONG PROVINCE AND PROBABLY FROM A WORKSHOP IN GUANGZHOU
Height of the bottle: 5,7 cm.
Width of the mouth: 6 mm.
Width of the neck: 15 mm.
Weight: 44,5 grams
Condition: Excellent with only one tiny nick to lip and some microscopic nibbles to the mask handles
Provenance: United Kingdom private collection
Literature comparison: For a bottle of slightly different shape but similarly carved, see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, The J & J Collection, pp. 151-156, no. 84. For other examples, see Pamela Friedman, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Pamela R. Lessing Friedman Collection, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 60, with ordinary and kui dragons; Hugh Moss, Chinese Snuff Bottles, London, 1976, no. 175, with dragons and inscription; and Sotheby's, London, 11 October 1974, lot 172, with dragons, an inscription and the studio name Jingzhai ('Studio of Veneration'); Alexander Brody, Old Wine into Old Bottles, A Collector's Commonplace Book, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 104, with dragons and an unusual inscription in relief seal script: 'Precious treasure [from the] Duan Stream'; Zhongguo Biyanhu Zhenshang, Hong Kong, 1992, no. 327, with kui and inscription.
Auction result comparison: Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Holden Collection. Christies, New York, 21 March 2000, lot 178. (for a related bottle)
1760至1820年間端硯鼻烟壺,可能為御製
端硯石,包漿良好,表面平整,光滑絲磨,雕工細緻
中國,1760-1820年
品相極好
英國私人收藏