A BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN ‘GLASS IMITATION’ SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, LATE QIANLONG / JIAQING PERIOD

with a convex lip and recessed flat foot, moulded with a continuous design of what are probably intended to be a chrysanthemum and a begonia growing from a rocky ground with two bats flying overhead, the relief all painted blue; with a stained bone stopper

Reif Collection.
Christie’s New York, 18th October 1993, lot 32.

Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, The British Museum, London, 1995, cat. no. 233.
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 6, Hong Kong, 2007, no. 1176.

There is some surface abrasions, otherwise the snuff bottle is in good condition. The white ground is very slightly tinged to blue which does not show on the catalogue illustration, and the tone of the blue is somewhat less purplish.
"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 present bottle is copying glass overlay of a particular type known to have been produced for the court during the Qianlong period. For an example of the glass bottles from which the inspiration for this group of porcelains was derived, see lot 168 in this sale.

If we had no knowledge of the well-known group of porcelain bottles copying glass overlays, it would be easy to miss the significance of this bottle. It is not as readily recognizable as a copy of an imperial overlay bottle, nor is its shape taken from that group of glass bottles. However, the style and the use of heavy blue enamel without any other colour link it incontrovertibly to the porcelain group, and thereby to the Palace glass bottles. Once that connection is made, we can date the piece with relative accuracy to the late Qianlong to early Jiaqing periods.