A RARE IMPERIAL FAMILLE-ROSE ENAMELLED GLASS 'BIRD IN A GARDEN' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

of flattened ovoid form, brilliantly enamelled in vivid tones with a bird perched on rockwork amidst a garden setting, the reverse with a smaller bird perched on a delicate branch amidst bamboo, the mouth with a collar of stylised lappets below a narrow collar decorated in red with scrolling foliate motifs, all set against a yellow ground

Hugh M. Moss Ltd., 2000.
Robert Hall, London.

There is a stabilised crack extending around the entire shoulder of the bottle which has been restored, with an associated crack extending downwards. An approximate diagram of these cracks is available upon request. There are also small losses and as well retouched areas to the enamelling. There are small nibblings to the edges of the bottle and the rim.
"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 large flattened ovoid form is rare for Palace enamels, but the texture and quality of the enamels clearly place it within the context of enamelled glass snuff bottles produced during the Qianlong period, probably towards the end of the reign. The texture of the enamels and subject matter of the bird amidst the garden closely matches that on another Qianlong reign-marked Palace snuff bottle of more conventional form, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 22. Compare also the similar composition of the birds and flowering plants on a hexagonal-form enamelled glass snuff bottle from the collection of Paul Braga, sold at Bonham’s Hong Kong, 24th November 2012, lot 60. Another enamel on glass example with closely decoration, is illustrated by Robert Hall, Chinese Snuff Bottles VII, The art of an Imperial Addiction, London, 1995, pp.43, 45, 47 and 49, no. 6, where the author outlines how it was formerly in the collection of Zhang Zhongyin, who opened an antiques and ancient carvings shop in the fourteenth year of the Guangxu reign, 1888.