A Famille-Rose Porcelain ‘Three Friends’ Snuff Bottle Seal Mark and Period of Jiaqing

Eric Young.
Sotheby’s London, 13th October 1987, lot 3.

Moss et al., 1996-2009, vol. 6, no. 1201.

Four chips on the lingzhi fungus, two at its base, two on the curling white edge close to the narrow side. One small chip to a prunus-bud, the larger, upper one close to the narrow side. One small area on the branch leading from the prunus-bud with the chip to the bat's wing where the glaze does not seem to have taken originally, so the biscuit shows through (.2 cm diameter circle). Otherwise, normal wear through use to relief enamels, particularly the softer iron-red. General relative condition: 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."

Although of the same design as Sale 4, lot 91, this bottle is obviously from a different mould. Apart from minor compositional differences, it is nearly a centimetre shorter. In terms of quality and appeal, there is little to choose between them to suggest which might be the earlier mould. The darker ground on the other one gives more prominence to the relief design, but here the trunk of the gnarled old prunus is better delineated and generally paler, giving it more prominence. It may be that the emperor examined one or other of them and suggested changes, but there is little indication that the Jiaqing emperor took anything like the same interest in the production of art as his forebears.

By the end of his reign it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish palace works from those made by any other workshops that were still in operation. Although the range and quality of the Jiaqing moulded porcelains from Jingdezhen tend to suggest sufficient imperial interest to at least maintain quality and development, to what extent the emperor himself was involved is unknown. The present bottle could have resulted from decisions made by those at lower levels whose interest was merely providing the court with a sufficient quantity of porcelain bottles to fulfil the requirements of imperial use and gift distribution.