A CHALCEDONY SNUFF BOTTLE

very well hollowed, of silk purse-form resting on a slightly concave oval base, the stone of golden-brown color with cloud-like inclusions

Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd.
Albert Pyke Collection.
Reif Collection.
Christie's New York, 18th October 1993, lot 135.

The bottle is in very good condition with a faint patch of surface wear to one shoulder.
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.

Purse-form bottles in jade and chalcedony are in many museum and private collections. Few, however, are as well hollowed as the present example. A similar agate bottle, of slightly more square form, is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong, 2003, p. 160, fig. 245.