AN INSCRIBED CAMEO AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, QING DYNASTYThe translucent stone of a milky-blueish color with hues of amber-brown and a layer of russet, carved in high relief to form the design, good surface polishChina, 1760-1830Carved and incised on one side utilizing the russet layer in the stone with a prancing horse ridden by a monkey under a pine tree. Four-character inscription reading “Horse” and “Wish” in relief within a banner-shaped frame.A popular subject found on Official School bottles of the late 18th/early 19th century, a monkey riding a horse, forms a popular rebus expressing a wish for "Ma Shang Feng Hou", a "Promotion approaching fast". With the present bottle, the carver has used the natural markings in the stone to full advantage and presented a powerful impression of three-dimensional depth, being distinguished especially by the rather unusual addition of the inscription, which appears to be a clever double entendre referring both to the “horse” and to the “wish” for promotion of the recipient.Shape: Flattened square form with rounded shouldersHollowing: ExcellentMouth, neck and lip: Short cylindric neck with convex top and slanted lipBase: Rectangular base with raised foot rim and rounded cornersDesign, marks, school: Official schoolStopper: Green and ochre nephrite, wooden platelet, ‘drawstring’ shaped spoon neatly carved of organic materialHeight of the bottle with stopper: 7.5 cm.Width of the mouth: 8 mm.Width of the neck: 23 mm.Weight: 111.5 gramsCondition: ExcellentProvenance: From a Beverly Hills, California, private estate, old collector number to baseLiterature comparison: For a discussion of the Official School of hard-stone carving, see H. Moss, V. Graham, K. B. Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 2, Quartz, no. 258, and nos. 301-306 which are all from the same school and decorated with horses in a somewhat similar vein. An agate bottle of related design, but lacking the inscription, is illustrated by R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles - The White Wings Collection, p. 180, no. 122.Auction result comparison: J & J COLLECTION OF SNUFF BOTTLES, PART III. Christies, New York, 29 March 2006, lot 10. (for another inscribed cameo agate 'horse' snuff bottle)官家工坊瑪瑙巧雕馬上封侯鼻烟壺,清代半透明乳青色,蜜褐色帶皮処深浮雕,表面抛光良好中國, 1760-1830壺型:扁平方形,圓肩 掏膛:優秀壺口、頸與唇部: 短直頸,壺口表面凸出,斜唇底足:方底高圈足,圓角造型、落款及流派: 官家工坊壺蓋:綠色赭石色玉,木托片,束帶形有機材料小杓 壺高(含壺蓋): 7.5 厘米口徑: 8 毫米壺頸寬:23 毫米重量: 111.5 克品相: 優秀來源:加利福尼亞比佛利山私人產業,底部可見收藏家老標簽