A SAPPHIRE-BLUE OVERLAY WHITE GLASS 'EGRET AND LOTUS POND' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

Robert Chang, 1980.
Collection of Gerd Lester, 1986. 

Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Sydney L. Moss Ltd, London, 1987, cat. no. 105.
Kleine Schätze aus China. Snuff bottles—Sammlung von Mary und George Bloch erstmals in Österreich, Creditanstalt, Vienna, 1993.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 5, Hong Kong, 2002, no. 928.

The mouth has a stained elongated burst air bubble. There are also some minute nibbles to the extremities, including two to the footrim.
"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 transparent milky, bubble-suffused ground and sapphire-blue glass are both features of a group of bottles of which Sale 6, lot 205 and Sale 9, lot 54 are examples. The subject of a lotus pond was also a favourite among this group. The present bottle even exhibits the wide mouth and crisply carved foot rim of the broader group, although the carving is crisper, sharper-edged and less well-rounded sculpturally. The sapphire-blue here is unusually dark.

Another example, possibly from the same hand as this one and of a similar subject but in red overlay, was sold by Christie’s London, 1 December 1997, lot 429.