清十九世紀初 涅白地套寳石紅料「鍾馗騰雲」圖鼻煙壺 揚州派製 《雲軒珍玩》款

Janos Szekeres
紐約蘇富比1986年10月27日，編號 63

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷5，香港，2002年，編號1034

It is in good condition.
"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."

It is very likely that the Yunxuan for whom this bottle was made was Dai Wencan 戴文燦 (1784 – 1848), a Yangzhou resident who used Yunxuan as his courtesy name (zi). Dai was technically a native of 六合, Anhui, but his father moved to Yangzhou at some point and he followed, spending the rest of his years in Yangzhou. He was granted provincial graduate status but did not pursue a higher degree next because his father died and he was in mourning; after his mourning period had ended, he felt there was no point to pursuing a career as an official when neither his father nor his mother was alive. Instead, he devoted himself to scholarship, calligraphy, and the friendship of likeminded gentlemen.

Here is another from the series of masterpieces in red and white glass and decorated with immortals. It is perhaps significant that so many of them appear to be on a watery, milky white glass that reduces the intensity of the overlay colour, making the overall work of art rather more subtle than, for instance, Sale 4, no. 3.

The artist’s impeccable technique and exquisite use of shading in the overlay colour are particularly evident in the perforated rock and the clouds upon which the deity and his attendant demon are placed. Although Zhong Kui alone is shown, the toad implies the presence of Liu Hai, the patron saint of commerce. In this and others in the collection, we perceive how painterly the school was in its classic wares, for this scene might have been conceived as a painting, and is obviously carved to represent one. The use of line and shading reflects painterly style, and the fluency of the carver’s ‘brush work’ in the demanding lapidary medium is quite astonishing. If this scene were transferred to paper, it would do credit to Wang Su 王素or any other Yangzhou artists of the Qing dynasty.