清十九世紀 綠釉「青椒」鼻煙壺

moulded in the form of a pepper, the short, cylindrical neck formed as part of the calyx rising out of the sepals; with the original emerald-green glazed stopper in the form of a stalk

Dr. Hamilton 收藏，愛丁堡
Hugh M. Moss Ltd，倫敦，1978年以前
Belfort 收藏

《盈寸纖研 ─ 瑪麗及佐治伯樂鼻煙壺珍藏》，香港藝術館，香港，1994年，編號179
新加坡國家博物館，新加坡，1994-1995年

Viviane Jutheau，《Guide du collectionneur de tabatières chinoises》，巴黎，1980年，頁88，圖3
Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷6，香港，2007年，編號1345

There is some very minor surface abrasions from handling, otherwise the snuff bottle is in very good condition. The stopper is original.
"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."

Among the many bottles made for a non-imperial market during the nineteenth century is a range of monochrome wares, some of which are of fruit forms, including this unusual pepper. It forms part of a range of moulded monochrome fruit forms that are difficult to date, but that were probably made from the Jiaqing period through to the end of the century. The unglazed interior may indicate a date from earlier in the century, but there are too few of this type in our modern collections to allow much of a study of their interiors.

This type of fairly opaque, thick, crackled green glaze appears on a range of later-Qing monochrome ceramics, many of them miniature vases that may have been used as snuff bottles. But this well-conceived vegetable form is a rarity, the more so because of its intact original stopper, the length and delicacy of which should have presaged its early destruction.