- 196
A WHITE JADE ‘CHILONG’ SNUFF BOTTLE POSSIBLY PALACE WORKSHOPS, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG / JIAQING PERIOD
Estimate
80,000 - 100,000 HKD
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Description
carved with a continuous design of a chilong chasing a flaming pearl, which rests on a formalized wisp of cloud; the original jade stopper with integral collar, finial and ‘cork’
Provenance
Jade House, Hong Kong.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1994.
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd., 1994.
Exhibited
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997.
Literature
Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 1, Hong Kong, 1996, no. 99.
Condition
The snuff bottle is in overall very good condition. There is a flaw in the material in the neck resembling a crack, but which is part of the original material. The actual colour of the stone is more pale celadon, less white 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
This snuff bottle has several imperial features that together support a tentative attribution to the Palace workshops. It is adequately but not painstakingly hollowed through a wide mouth, has the flattened palace neck rim which appears on a number of nephrite bottles attributable to the court (see, for instance, lot 174 in the present sale) and retains its original stopper of typical Beijing shape.
The use of the chilong for the main decoration also supports a Palace workshops attribution. Chilong were particularly popular in court decoration during the Qing dynasty, and particularly so during the Qianlong period, and are rarely found as primary decoration outside of Beijing.