A CHALCEDONY AGATE 'DUCK' SNUFF BOTTLE 18th/19th century Of rounded rectangular form, the body supported on a short recessed foot and below a cylindrical neck, the opaque milk-white skin on the translucent stone smoothly carved away to depict a duck with its head turned back, the eye and ripples neatly incised, the reverse plain, stopper. 7cm (2 3/4in) high. (2). Footnotes: 十八/十九世紀 瑪瑙巧雕鴨紋鼻烟壺 Provenance: Joan Wasserman collection, London Hugh Moss Ltd., London Trudy and John Cohen, collection no.B49, acquired from the above circa 1974 來源： Joan Wasserman舊藏, 倫敦 倫敦古董商Hugh Moss Ltd. Trudy及John Cohen伉儷，藏品編號B49，約1974年從上處獲得 Ducks, believed to mate for life, symbolise love and the wish for a happy marriage. In the present lot, the carver has rendered the bird with masterful economy, using minimal carving to evoke a lively form, while the contrast between the opaque, creamy skin and the stone heightens it striking visual appeal. Compare with a related agate snuff bottle with birds carved from the white skin, 1800-1850, illustrated in The Baur Collection: Chinese Snuff Bottles, Florence, 2007, pp.268-269, no.H113. See also a related agate snuff bottle featuring white ducks, 18th/19th century and attributed to the 'Official School', illustrated by H.Moss, V.Graham and K.B.Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, vol.2.2, Hong Kong, 1998, no.298, and which was later sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 25 November 2013, lot 125. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing