Bottle ID: 157

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BLUE AND RED UNDERGLAZE, RECTANGULAR WITH DANCING BOYS

Date: 1800-1850

Height: 57 mm

Porcelain with a transparent glaze on cobalt and copper oxide, of rectangular form with rounded sides, painted in underglaze blue and red and decorated on one side with with three boys dancing one holding a lotus spray, the reverse with a further pair of boys dancing, the sides enameled with overglaze enamels in green, purple and turquoise and decorated with leaves, the neck with a trefoil band.

Similar Examples:

none found

Provenance:

Clare Lawrence Ltd.
Blanche B. Exstein
Sotheby's, New York, March 26, 1982, lot 51
Bob C. Stevens

Published:

Stevens, Bob C. The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, 1976, p. 99, no. 305

This is an extraordinary and charming porcelain bottle where the use of both underglaze colors and overglaze enamels has been used to great effect. The shape is unusual for porcelain snuff bottles as is the decoration. It is likely that this bottle would have been an individual commission with the artisan attempting to show off all of his skills, which he does admirably. The underglaze red color is very well controlled and is strong in tone, and the overglaze enamel colors contrast with the blue and red without detracting from the main design. It is not difficult to imagine the smile on the face of the owner of this bottle each time he took it out for a pinch of snuff.

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