China. Of flattened ovoid form, deeply carved through the layers of cinnabar lacquer with a continuous landscape scene divided by rockwork and a pine tree into two separate subjects, one with a pupil kneeling in front of his teacher in a fenced garden, the other with a man offering fruit to his companion carrying a long stick, all on a variety of diaper grounds.

Provenance: From an English private collection.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear, expected small age cracks, minuscule nicks, and few tiny losses.

Stopper: Pink glass
Weight: 81.6 g
Dimensions: Height incl. stopper 75 mm. Diameter neck 20 mm and mouth 7 mm

This is a classic imperial lacquer snuff bottle on bronze. This group of bottles represents masterly carving in lacquer that is splendidly sculptural and covers a range of delightful subject matter usually drawn from popular dramas, operas or novels, or myths and legends. We can be sure that the group as a whole was imperial, even if we cannot be sure that every last example was made for the court. If they were for example made in Suzhou, the same workshops might have made a few pieces for private sale as well.

Literature comparison:
Four cinnabar lacquer bottles from this group carved with figural scenes are in the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and are illustrated in Masterpieces of Snuff Bottles in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1995, pp. 187-90, nos. 192-95. Another is illustrated in Moss, Graham, Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Vol. 7, Part 1, Hong Kong, 2009, pp. 175-82, no. 1538.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 20 March 2012, lot 66
Price: USD 25,000 or approx. EUR 31,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved cinnabar lacquer snuff bottle, probably Imperial, possibly Palace workshops, 1730-1820
Expert remark: Note the size (5.7 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2007, lot 7
Price: USD 20,400 or approx. EUR 28,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine carved lacquer snuff bottle, probably Imperial, attributed to the Palace workshops, Beijing, 1730-1820
Expert remark: Note the size (6.35 cm)



1730-1830年御用剔犀鼻煙壺
中國。束頸，豐肩，剔犀層層深雕，山水景觀，一面是錦地庭園景觀，一位文人跪在另一位文人面前；另一面可見一個人把一盤水果遞給他的同伴。

來源：英國私人收藏
品相：狀況良好，有輕微磨損，小老化裂紋、微小的劃痕和缺損。

壺蓋：粉紅玻璃
重量：81.6 克
尺寸：含蓋高75 毫米，頸部直徑 20 毫米，口部直徑 7 毫米

銅胎剔犀鼻煙壺，雕刻精美，工藝精湛。此類鼻煙壺通常取材於流行戲劇或小說、神話傳說中的場景。

文獻比較：
一組四件清廷人物剔犀鼻煙壺，收藏於北京故宮博物院，見《故宮鼻煙壺選萃》，1995年，頁187-90，編號192-95。 另一件見Moss，Graham，Tsang，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles，The Mary and George Bloch Collection》，卷七，第一部分，香港，2009年，頁175-82，編號1538。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2012年11月24日，lot 101
價格：HKD 87,500（相當於今日EUR 14,000）
描述：剔紅人物紋鼻煙壺，或為宮庭作坊御製品
專家評論：請注意尺寸 (6.5 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約邦瀚斯，2012年3月20日，lot 66
價格：USD 25,000（相當於今日EUR 31,000）
描述：清1770-1830剔紅愛鵝行山圖鼻煙壺
專家評論：請注意尺寸 (5.7 厘米)

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2007年3月22日，lot 7
價格：USD 20,400（相當於今日EUR 28,000）
描述：1730-1820年北京剔紅人物紋鼻煙壺，或為宮庭作坊御製品
專家評論：請注意尺寸 (6.35 厘米)。

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