Bottle ID: 454

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SILHOUETTE, ABSTRACT LANDSCAPE

Date: 1780-1850

Height: 62 mm

Agate, superbly hollowed, of flattened rectangular form with rounded shoulders and a neatly carved footrim, the pale honey colored stone with irregular inclusions of dark brown, rich golden brown and white resembling an abstract aquatic scene with rocks, a crab and aquatic weeds.

Similar Examples:

Moss, Hugh, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang. A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles - The Mary and George Bloch Collection, 1998, Vol. 2, Part 1, pp. 248-249, no. 272.
Low, Denis S. K. More Treasures from the Sanctum of Enlightened Respect, 2002, p. 231, no. 214.
White, Helen. Snuff Bottles from China: The Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, 1990, pp. 62-63, no. 1.

Provenance:

Robert Hall
The Pietsch Collection, Hawaii

An agate bottle, left uncarved and not polished on its main surface is the perfect vehicle for contemplation. Whilst one can appreciate the high quality of manufacture of the bottle, it is up to the individual to let his imagination flow freely until the natural colors and markings in the stone suggest a scene. This bottle appears to resemble an aquatic scene, but it is up to the viewer to make of it what he will.

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