Bottle ID: 00682

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SNOWFLAKE W/MULTICOLOR OVERLAY, SQUIRRELS & BIRD

Date: 1750-1795

Height: 58 mm

Glass, of flattened rounded form with shoulders tapering to a straight neck, and with a neatly carved footrim, carved in high relief on an opalescent milky-white ground using the four-colored overlay of lime-green, yellow, red and light blue, with two squirrels cavorting amongst fruiting vines, and with a bird perched on a rock under lingzhi fungus observing them.

Attributed to Beijing.

Similar Examples:

Crane Collection no. 671.
Moss, Hugh, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang.  A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles - The Mary and George Bloch Collection, 2002, Vol. 5, Part 3, pp. 625-626, no. 978; and pp. 638-639, no. 984.
Sotheby's, New York, September 19, 2007, lot 627, The Meriem Collection.

 

Provenance:

Asian Art Studio
Bonhams & Butterfields

Exhibited:

Annual Convention ICSBS Toronto, October 2007

Squirrels are well-known for producing large litters and hence, are symbols of fertility especially when shown in conjunction with fruiting vines.  The wish for many sons and a continuing lineage is emphasized on this Crane example by the addition of further symbols of immortality such as lingzhi fungus.  Other scholars have suggested that the squirrel and grapes motif represents a wish for promotion to a higher rank, and the choice of lingzhi fungus would support that notion conveying wishes for enduring promotion through the ranks of officialdom.

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