A 'PUDDINGSTONE' SNUFF BOTTLE

very well hollowed, of rounded form supported on a neatly carved oval footrim, below a cylindrical neck, the shoulders with well carved lions-head suspending mock ring-handles, the stone with irregular splashes of ochre and brown within a gray matrix

The Kaynes-Klitz Collection.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 16th November 1989, lot 83.

Patrick K. M. Kwok, 'The Joe Grimberg Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', Arts of Asia, November-December 1993, p. 96, no. 40.

The bottle is in good condition with two very faint and shallow dents on the neck, barely noticeable.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Puddingstone snuff bottles are rarely carved on their outer surface, as most are left plain. The lions-mask handles on this bottle are beautifully rendered and the hollowing of the interior is superb. The carver managed to elevate the artistry of this bottle to a level unmatched by others in its category.

According to Bob C. Stevens in The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, New York and Tokyo, 1976, puddingstones are 'conglomerates of sedimentary rocks, composed of a cementing matrix holding numerous rounded pebbles, which vary in size, shape, color, textures, hardness, and mineral content.' He illustrates a puddingstone bottle, also carved with mask and mock-ring handles, op.cit., p. 167, fig. 618.

Clare Lawrence, in her discussion of a puddingstone bottle in the Monimar Collection, Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom: The Monimar Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles. London, 1996, p. 107, states that 'Western collectors have traditionally found "puddingstone" bottles to be most attractive if the irregular pebbles in the matrix are of a larger size.' The present bottle is an outstanding representation of this type.