清十八 / 十九世紀 白玉浮雕「瓜瓞綿綿」鼻煙壺

倫敦蘇富比1985年5月2日，編號425

Hugh Moss、Victor Graham 及曾嘉寶，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷1，香港，1996年，編號34

There is a small chip to the outer lip. Otherwise, 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."

This subject matter was popular at court and appears on a wide range of imperial enamels on glass, metal, and porcelain. It is more than likely that this bottle was carved in the same workshop (and probably by the same hand) as a number of known pebble-bottles in white jade that have gourds as their decoration. They too are linked to the palace, albeit only tentatively (seeSale 2, lot 14). The style here is identical to some of the better-known examples, as is the masterly carving and polishing.

At first glance, the complex design tends to divert attention from the quality of the carving. In the hands of a lesser artist, so complex a design might have become simply a muddle. Here, however, the four separate elements are unusually well controlled and perfectly balanced. The smooth double gourds, the sinuous tendrils of the vine, the textured leaves with their incised veins, beautifully rounded surfaces and lipped edges, and the perfectly finished ground plane all complement each other ideally.

Another mark of the artistic mastery of this carving is found in the endless variation in the shape and suspension of each double gourd. There would be a temptation with a lesser artist simply to repeat a standard double gourd, perhaps varying only the size, but this artist has re-thought every single gourd so that no two are alike and each hangs from its stalk with convincing realism.