A SAPPHIRE-BLUE GLASS DOUBLE SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, MID-18TH / MID-19TH CENTURY

of transparent, purplish sapphire-blue glass with a few scattered air bubbles of various sizes, each of the two segments well hollowed but leaving a deep base, with a flat lip and a concave foot surrounded by a flat footrim; the glass stoppers with tourmaline collars

Zhirou Zhai Collection.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1993.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 5, Hong Kong, 2002, no. 765.

The snuff bottle is overall in very good condition. The lips and footrims are in good condition. The missing finial on the right stopper is now been replaced.
"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 weight, bubble structure, and interior hollowing prove beyond doubt that this bottle was carved from a solid block of glass. The hollowing, while formally excellent, leaves a relatively thick wall and stops well short of the foot.

Double bottles must have been a quite early development in snuff-bottle production. Double bottles in other materials are datable to the eighteenth century; this form was a standard of imperial moulded-porcelain production of the Jiaqing period.