AN EMBELLISHED AGATE 'DOUBLE-GOURD' SNUFF BOTTLE THE BOTTLE: PROBABLY PALACE WORKSHOPS, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG / JIAQING PERIOD THE EMBELLISHMENT: TSUDA FAMILY, KYOTO, 1890-1941

translucent, variegated reddish-brown and beige-brown chalcedony embellished with soapstone, turquoise, red glass, gold, orange, cinnabar red, and black lacquer, the double-gourd shaped bottle with a flared inner neck and protruding flat foot, carved with eight bulging faceted panels and embellished with a continuous design of four young boys climbing on two severed branches of formalized scrolling, flowering vines, with four butterflies in flight; with a glass stopper

Christie’s New York, 27th November 1991, lot 149.

Chinese Snuff Bottles: A Miniature Art from the Collection of George and Mary Bloch, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 240.
National Museum of Singapore, Singapore, 1994-1995.
Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, The British Museum, London, 1995, cat. no. 240.
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997.

Michael C. Hughes, 'Saleroom News: Christie's New York, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in November 1991', Arts of Asia, March-April 1992, p. 138.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 7, Hong Kong, 2009, no. 1704.

The inner lip is probably recut to make it a continuous curve, perhaps to remove damage. There is one tiny green cabochon on the butterfly's wing missing, another half missing, but generally the snuff bottle is in good condition. The actual colour of the stone is less red, more golden brown, and the colours of the inlays more contrasted compared to the catalogue illustration.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The original Chinese bottle here has all the features of a Palace product of the Qianlong period, although there is no mark to exclude a slightly earlier or later date. The material, the double gourd shape, the facetting, and the flat outer neck rim are all typical, although the continuous flare to the inside of the neck is not. That probably represents a Japanese repair to a chipped mouth. The polish on the inside of the neck is different from that of the bottle and clearly reflects a later adjustment.