AN INSIDE-PAINTED BROWN CRYSTAL SNUFF BOTTLE ZHOU LEYUAN, AUTUMN, 1891

with a flat lip and a flat foot, painted with a continuous scene of a rocky outcrop with a katydid crawling on it above cabbages and a white flowering plant and three fan-tailed goldfish swimming in a pond beyond it, inscribed in draft script ‘Executed by Zhou Leyuan on a certain day in autumn of the year renchen'', corresponding to 1891, with one seal of the artist, Le yin (‘seal of Le’), in negative seal script; the glass stopper with a vinyl collar

Trojan Collection.
Robert Hall, London, 1993.

Chinese Snuff Bottles V: From the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Trojan, Robert Hall, London, 1992, cat. no. 77.
Christie's London, 1999.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 4, Hong Kong, 2000, no. 500.

There are a natural inclusions around the base of the bottle; there is a small flaw in the crystal which looks like a small crack but is natural; there is a barely perceptible chip to the outer lip. The painting remains very well preserved. The overall condition is very good.
"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."

This subject, with the rocky outcrop wrapped around the bottle in a continuous scene, is the standard later version for Zhou Leyuan and was painted most frequently in 1891 and 1892, although its antecedents can be traced back to his early career. See another example from the Bloch collection, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28th November 2011, lot 77.