Bottle ID: 921

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INSCRIBED ON BOTH SIDES

Date: 1750-1820

Height: 60 mm

Nephrite, of flattened high-shouldered tapering form with a waisted neck and everted straightened lip, well hollowed and of a mottled gray tone with russet flecks, incised on both sides with one hundred longevity characters in seal script.

Imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing.

 

 

Similar Examples:

Crane Collection nos. 162. 259, 500 and 920
Crane Collection no. 187
Lawrence, Clare. The Alexander Brody Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1995, p. 44, no. 63.
JICSBS, Autumn 2003, p. 18, figs. 24-a, b and c.

Provenance:

Asian Art Studio
Christie's, New York, September 20, 2005 lot 501
The property of a lady
Phyllis Kaufman Collection, Phoenix, AZ, 1980

This is a very typical 'imperial' shape for both jade and porcelain snuff bottles. In jade it allows the maker to show his dexterity in thinly hollowing a form that is difficult with its narrow sides and tapering shape. In both jade and porcelain the shape provides a proportionally large outer surface for decoration. In this case the carver has incised a hundred different longevity characters over the two main sides, providing ample wishes for long life for the recipient of the bottle.

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