A LACQUER, AND SOAPSTONE-EMBELLISHED CHALCEDONY 'FIGURES' SNUFF BOTTLE
Chalcedony of light caramel tone with several 'clouds' of intense and deep amber color, good even surface finish and patina, areas of dendritic structure. The embellishments of and soapstone with lacquer finish. China, The bottle: 1730-1850. The embellishment: Tsuda Family, Kyoto,
Japan, 1890-1941

Front side with mother and child in court robes standing in a garden below a large daihu rock. Verso a boy in a court robe playing with a sling shot, the scene dominated by a large tree. The natural color shades of the stone masterly used to add another dimension to the already vivid and characterful scenes. Carved mock ring handles in strong relief to the shoulders.

Shape: Bulbous round form with symmetric shoulders
Hollowing: Excellent, to the extent that the bottle is almost translucent, symmetric contours on the in- and outside
Mouth, neck and lip: Cylindric. Slightly sprawling neck, slightly convex top, broad mouth with short inner cylinder
Base: Oval-round with broad, slightly raised foot rim
Stopper: Aventurine on onyx platelet with good spoon
Height of the bottle with stopper: 7.1 cm
Width of the mouth: 8 mm
Width of the neck: 23 mm
Condition: Excellent condition with only one almost invisible chip to embellishment and some minimal wear to lacquer, one tiny natural imperfection to lip
Provenance: American Private Collection

Literature comparison: Arts of Asia, September 1993, Page 109-116, lot 85. (for an almost identical bottle from the Chang Foundation, described as 'perhaps one of the best of its kind'. Bob C. Stevens, The Collectors Book of Snuff Bottles, lot 824 (for an embellished agate snuff bottle of comparable quality) FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Bonham's, May 26th 2013, HONG KONG, lot 127. (for an embellished amber bottle of comparable style and quality) Fine Chinese Works of Art from the Yaogushanfang Collection. Christie's, April 6th 2015, Hong Kong, lot 58. (for an embellished jadeite bottle of comparable style and quality).

Expertise: Alexander Zacke

漆彩飾象牙皂石玉髓雕人物鼻煙壺

淡棕色玉髓帶捲雲形琥珀色處, 平整古雅磨光, 身部分帶樹突. 配件用象牙、皂石與漆雕成.

中國, 壺為1730–1850年間製造, 配件被日本京都津田家族在1890–1941 年間製造



正面描繪母子穿長袍在花園裡, 站在太湖石下. 背面成大樹下戲童圖.石料自然紋巧妙地雕成圖案. 肩部兩側面獸首啣環耳.



形狀：球形, 兩個肩部相稱

掏膛：完整, 幾乎透明, 內部輪廓與外部相稱

瓶口、頸、瓶唇： 圓柱形, 頸稍微展開, 頭部稍微突出, 寬口帶短內部圓柱

底足：橢圓形, 寬足邊稍微突出

蓋: 砂金石在縞瑪瑙片上

高（帶蓋）：7.1厘米

口徑：0.8厘米

頸部直徑：2.3厘米

狀態敘述：完善狀態, 配件一處帶幾乎看不到的裂紋, 漆層稍微抹掉, 唇部帶一處自然變形

來源：美國私人舊藏

文獻: Arts of Asia, September 1993, 頁109-116, 編號85. Bob C. Stevens, 《中國鼻煙壺收藏指南》, 編號824. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Bonham’s, 2013 年5月26日, HONG KONG, 編號127. Fine Chinese Works of Art from the Yaogushanfang Collection. Christie’s, 2015 年4月6日, Hong Kong, 編號58.