A SILHOUETTE AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE

very well hollowed, of flattened square form with shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck, resting on a slightly flared oval foot, the dappled caramel brown inclusion on the pale gray translucent stone beautifully cut and polished to portray on one face a crested duck pecking at the ground, the reverse plain save for very minor russet inclusions reminiscent of blowing leaves

Gerry P. Mack Collection.
Beverly Mack Hall Collection.
Robert Kleiner.

Hugh Moss, Chinese Snuff-Bottles: Number Three, London, p. 22, fig. 9.
Hugh Moss, Chinese Snuff Bottles of the Silica or Quartz Group, London, 1971, p. 37, no. 81.
Bob C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, New York and Tokyo, 1976, no. 553.
Vanessa F. Holden, 'The Joe Grimberg Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles', Oriental Art, 2002, Volume 48, No. 4, pp. 65-72, fig. 20.

The bottle is in excellent condition overall.
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.

This is perhaps one of the most celebrated agate bottles of the silhouette category. In fact, it is known to have been Gerry Mack's favorite bottle and was presented to his daughter Beverly as a special birthday gift. In addition to its whimsical portrayal of a duck, the bottle has a tactile quality that conforms very naturally to the hand.

The polishing of the inclusion is incredibly nuanced, as the duck is rendered from an inclusion that varies from a soft golden-brown to a dark coffee color. The wisps of the inclusion have been brilliantly incorporated as the bird's crest, providing a sense of naturalism to its features.