AN INSIDE-PAINTED CRYSTAL SNUFF BOTTLE YIRU JUSHI, QING DYNASTY, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Collection of Albert Pyke, Los Angeles. 
Hugh M. Moss Ltd., c. 1965. 
Collection of Ladislas Kardos. 
Reif Collection. 
Christie's New York, 18th October 1993, lot 235. 

Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, British Museum, London, 1995, cat. no. 376.
Chinese Snuff Bottles in the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997. 
Christie’s London, 1999.

Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol. 4, Hong Kong, 2000, no. 446.

The bottle has a tiny nick to the neck. Except for some wear especially to a few characters, the overall condition is quite 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."

This bears the same encomium as Sale 7, lot 11, but in this case every character is legible, making it possible to correct the translation slightly. This is a lyric written to the tune Qinyuan chun 沁園春; each main side has one stanza.

香貯冰壺，滿袖攜來，臭味可投。 
為因緣觸法，兜羅綿手，潛通鬼井，爽豁星眸。 
細膩飛煙，芬芳浥露，玉匣珍藏錦袋收。 
還堪玩，倩良工刻劃，仿佛雕鎪。

溫柔不亞琳球。 
更表裡，晶瑩意匠優。 
喜內含方寸，書成鴻爪，外清點側，楷辦蠅頭。 
如此心思，是何目力，巧極明生莫與儔。 
真堪玩，把芝蘭氣息，鐵畫銀鉤。

Fragrance is stored in an icy bottle;
It fills the sleeves as it is brought;
Bad smells can be done away with.
With contact in the chain of cause and effect,
A hand soft as cotton
Secretly conveys it to the philtrum
And the eyes come alert.
Fine like wafting smoke,
Fragrant as soaking dew,
It is kept as a treasure in a jade case or brocade bag.
And we so we can savour it,
We ask a skilled craftsman to engrave [its bottle]
Like the most painstaking carving.

It is warm and soft like the finest jade.
What’s more, inside and out,
It is clear and bright, excellent in artistic conception.
And we delight that within is an inch-square space,
Where the writing is done, ‘goose-tracks [in the mud]’,
And outside pure dots and slanting strokes of
Regular characters: one sees [strokes as small as] flies’ heads.
Such thought went into this,
Such strength of sight!
Clever and without peer.
Truly worth enjoying,
To take the breath of orchids
And with iron-like strokes make the ‘silver hooks’.