AN INSCRIBED CHALCEDONY 'PURSE-FORM' SNUFF BOTTLE QING DYNASTY, 18TH / 19TH CENTURY

Zhirou Zhai Collection, Hong Kong.
Hugh M. Moss Ltd., 1993.

The Imperial Packing Art of the Qing Dynasty, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2000, cat. no. 109.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 2, Hong Kong, 1998, no. 239.

The overall condition is excellent.
"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 is a fairly standard form, with the tightly gathered opening, a rounded rectangular lip, and the pleats of the purse running up into the lip and downwards to about the mid-point of the body of the bottle. It has superb hollowing and detailing and lovely finishing. It also has the rare feature of inscriptions down each narrow side. These are in a style frequently used on bottles meant to appeal to the sentiments of the official classes (hence the former use of the term ‘Official School’; see discussion under Sale 7, lot 65 and Sale 9, lot 48), and are cut in the same distinctive manner as Sale 4, lot 51 and Sale 6, lot 116, for instance. This bottle may have been made at the imperial workshops, and perhaps at the palace.