A CHALCEDONY AGATE 'MONKEY AND PEACH' SNUFF BOTTLE 18th/19th century The compressed bulbous body rising from a recessed foot to high shoulders surmounted with a cylindrical neck and flat mouth rim, the translucent toffee-coloured stone marked with russet and black inclusions cleverly incorporated into the design of a crouching monkey holding a ripe peach in a rocky cave, the reverse plain, stopper. 5cm (2in) high. (2). Footnotes: The item within this lot containing ivory has been registered in accordance with the Ivory Act (Section 10). Ref.4YU4BTEU 該批次中含有象牙的物品已根據《象牙法案》（章節10）註冊Ref.4YU4BTEU 十八/十九世紀 瑪瑙巧雕靈猴獻壽紋鼻烟壺 Provenance: Hugh Moss Ltd., London Trudy and John Cohen, collection no.B55, acquired from the above circa 1975 來源：倫敦古董商Hugh Moss Ltd. Trudy及John Cohen伉儷，藏品編號B55，約1975年從上處獲得 Long associated with cleverness and agility, the monkey (hou 猴) also bears layered auspicious meanings. Through its homophonic link with hou (後) meaning descendants, it conveys a wish for numerous offspring, while its resonance with hou (侯) meaning Marquis expresses hopes for rank and official advancement. When shown holding a peach, the monkey further alludes to the Monkey King, Sun Wukong (孫悟空), from the Ming dynasty novel Journey to the West, who famously stole the peaches of Immortality from the Queen Mother of the West's celestial garden. This association gave rise to the auspicious phrase lingshou xianshou (靈猴獻壽), meaning 'the sacred monkey presents longevity.' In the present lot, the motif is deftly heightened by the cave setting, an abode of the Immortals, as well as the skillful use of the stone's colours, highlighting the animal and its prized fruit. Compare with a chalcedony 'monkey and peach' snuff bottle, 1770-1830, in the collection of the Princeton University Art Museum (acc.no.y1936-795). See also a related agate snuff bottle featuring a monkey holding a peach, 1800-1850, illustrated in The Baur Collection: Chinese Snuff Bottles, Florence, 2007, pp.266-267, no.H111. For another snuff bottle featuring a monkey and peach, 19th century, see Bonhams Paris, 25 October 2022, lot 124. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * Y Ф * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the UK, see clause 13. Ф This lot contains or is made of ivory and cannot be imported into the USA or any country within the EU. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing