Bottle ID: 00391

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AQUAMARINE, IMITATION, CARVED W/DRAGONS

Date: 1750-1820

Height: 67 mm

Glass, of flattened rectangular form with sloping shoulders, the pale blue body in imitation of aquamarine; standing on four squat feet and carved on each side in mirror image of each other, in low relief with two writhing qilong; the sides carved with mock mask and ring handles.

Imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing.

Similar Examples:

Holden, Rachelle R.  Rivers and Mountains Far From the World - The Rachelle R. Holden Collection, 1994, p. 372, no. 169.
Lawrence, Clare.  The Thewlis Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1990,
p. 24, no. 28.
Moss, Hugh, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang.  A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles - The Mary and George Bloch Collection, 2002, Vol. 5, Part 2, pp. 359-360, no. 835.

Provenance:

Clare Lawrence Ltd.
The Monimar Collection
Clare Lawrence Ltd.
Sotheby's, New York, December 2, 1985, lot 52
Paula Hallett
Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., February 3, 1981, lot 20

Exhibited:

Annual Convention ICSBS Toronto, October 2007
Annual Convention ICSBS Hong Kong, October 1996
Christie's, St. James's, London, June 1996

Published:

Lawrence, Clare.  Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom - The Monimar Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1996, pp. 238-239, no. 113.49

An examination of this bottle immediately suggests that it may be part of the small group of bottles carved from solid blocks of glass.  The thickness of the walls, the different lines of the inner and outer edges, together with its interior polish would all lend themselves to this conclusion.  The result is a glass bottle that resembles quartz or, more obviously, aquamarine.  The author has previously suggested that the blue color is symbolic of the sky, with the auspicious dragon being the ruler of the celestial realm, inhabiting the sky and controlling the rains.  Although heavier than expected, the bottle is granted an elegance due to its four small feet which act as an integral stand.  The bottle's clean lines are reflected in the carving on each facia, of the qilong which are a mirror image of each other, avoiding any distraction as the bottle is held and viewed.

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