清十八世紀末 / 十九世紀 巧色瑪瑙「魚躍」圖鼻煙壺

well but irregularly hollowed, with a flat lip and a recessed foot surrounded by a flat footrim, the natural markings in the stone edited to create a silhouette design of a leaping carp; the carnelian-agate stopper with a vinyl collar

藝華行，香港，1985年

《Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch at the Galleries of Sydney L. Moss, Ltd.》，Sydney L. Moss Ltd，倫敦，1987年，編號163
Creditanstalt，維也納，1993年

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷2，香港，1998年，編號271

The centre of the inner foot area has a deeper recession where the first hollowing cut went deeper than the rest and the carver decided to make the subsequent cuts shallower. Apart from this, which is original to the snuff bottle, the overall condition is very good condition.The actual colour of the ground is less pale and more purple grey, not as orange pink compared to the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Although not a figure subject, the present bottle may represent the later evolution of the art form in the last three quarters of the nineteenth century. The use of parti-coloured hardstone decoration, where the design was either suggested or entirely supplied by natural markings in the stone, continued into the late nineteenth century, and it seems likely that in this case the relatively careless hollowing does represent the decline in technical standards that characterised that period, rather than a regional variation in style.

Here, with only minor surface editing, the artist has brought forth a convincing picture of a carp. Quite apart from the extraordinary natural markings used to create the fish and its scales, the artist has made inspirational use of a small pale circle in precisely the right part of the fish's head to provide its eye.