19 - A BLUE OVERLAY AND CLEAR GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE

A BLUE OVERLAY AND CLEAR GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE PALACE WORKSHOPS, 1750-1850 To Be Sold Without Reserve A BLUE OVERLAY AND CLEAR GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE PALACE WORKSHOPS, 1750-1850 Of slender elongated form, the blue overlay carved with two aquatic creatures spewing from their mouths, a pavilion, bird and cloud scrolls to one side, the other with a chilong dragon amongst cloud scrolls, three pearls to either side, all on clear crizzled glass Height: 6.8cm Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles, 2nd December 1985, lot 27, (a copy of the original invoice available) For a similar blue overlay glass bottle, carved with the ‘Tally of Immortality’ see The Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 水松石山房鼻煙壺珍藏 attributed to the Palace workshops, cat. no. 34.3.796, Imperial Influence over the Snuff Bottle Arts, Book I, 2017, e-yaji.com The “tally” or ledger of immortality in Chinese culture refers to the moral accounting system—often called gongguo ge ( , “ledgers of merits and demerits”)—used to track good and bad deeds to attain longevity, 功過格 divine rank, or spiritual immortality Ω This Lot was imported from outside of the UK, under the Temporary Admission regime 5% import VAT will be charged on the ‘hammer” and 20% VAT will be charged on the ‘buyer’s premium