11th Oct, 2023 11:00
THREE-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism
60
A MOLDED AND CARVED ‘DRAGON’ FAMILLE ROSE PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE, SIGNED LIQUAN, CHINA, 1853-1864
1853-1864年粉彩堆塑龍紋鼻煙壺，“子靜自製”款
€3,000
€6,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
Of pear shape with a wide mouth, finely carved and molded and brightly enameled to depict a fierce five-clawed dragon in high relief with sinuous scaly body chasing a flaming pearl amid colorful swirling clouds. The base with a neatly painted iron-red four-character mark.
Inscriptions: To the base, ‘Liquan zi zhi’ (made by Liquan himself).
Provenance: Collection of John Ault. Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., London, United Kingdom, 2005. A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice from Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., dated 5 July 2005, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price for the present lot of GBP 4,250 or approx. EUR 10,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. John Ault (d. 2014) was a British intelligence officer, novelist, and avid collector of Chinese snuff bottles. Robert Kleiner (1948-2014) was an important expert of Chinese snuff bottles, beginning his long career at Sotheby’s in London. Along with Hugh Moss and Bob Hall, he became a key advisor to the Mary and George Bloch collection, and it was Robert who wrote and produced the very first catalog of their bottles.
Condition: Very good condition with only minor old wear, few expected manufacturing irregularities, remnants of gilt around the mouth. The jade stopper with natural fissures.Some rubbing to enamels.
Stopper: Celadon jade
Weight: 72.5 g
Dimensions: Height incl. stopper 74 mm. Diameter neck 21 mm and mouth 11 mm
Please click here to read the full description
Expert’s note: Only one other bottle with the mark “made by Liquan himself” has been recorded, see Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles, The White Wings Collection, 1997, number 81. Several near-identical bottles do exist, however, these are all molded only (and not additionally carved) and bear the mark Guangyao neizao “made in the official kilns”. It is likely that the whole series was made during the Taiping Rebellion (1853-1864), when the Imperial kilns and surrounding areas were under the control of the rebels, raising considerable problems of protocol in marking porcelains. As Robert Kleiner explains, it is possible that Liquan was the director of the kilns during this time. There is only one further molded and carved version known, but this one is signed Rongjing zuo (made by Rongjing), lacks the enamels, is in the Victoria and Albert Museum since 1883, and was illustrated by Helen White, Snuff Bottles from China, The Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, page 243, number 1. The signature on this bottle also lacks the term for “himself” which could mean that Rongjing may not have been as important as Liquan. It also seems likely that only the carved bottles bear the “made by” marks, while the more common molded bottles bear the official kiln mark.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 25 April 2004, lot 822
Price: HKD 95,600 or approx. EUR 17,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A molded famille rose porcelain snuff bottle, 1851-1865
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and decoration. Note the ‘Guanyao neizao’ (made by the official kilns) mark and the size (60 mm). Also note that this is the more common, molded only version.
点此阅读中文翻译 (Chinese Translation)
1853-1864年粉彩堆塑龍紋鼻煙壺，“子靜自製”款
梨形，廣口，堆塑精美，明亮琺瑯彩，描繪一條矯健的五爪龍，龍身蜿蜒，雲中戲珠。
款識：子靜自製
來源： John Ault 收藏；Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd.，英國倫敦，2005 年；英國私人收藏，購自上述機藝廊。隨附 Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd. 於 2005年 7 月 5 日開具的原始發票副本，確認了斷代，以及當時的售價為 4,250 英鎊或約 10,000 歐元（在撰寫本文時已根據通貨膨脹進行換算和調整）。John Ault（2014 年去世）是一位英國情報官員、小說家和中國鼻煙壺收藏家。Robert Kleiner（1948-2014）是一位重要的中國鼻煙壺專家，他在倫敦蘇富比中國藝術部門度過漫長的職業生涯。他與Hugh Moss和Bob Hall一起成為Mary 與 George Bloch收藏的重要顧問，Robert撰寫並製作了他們的第一個鼻煙壺目錄。
品相：狀況非常好，只有輕微磨損，壺口部周圍有鎏金殘留，壺蓋帶有天然裂紋。部分琺瑯有摩擦。
壺蓋：青玉
重量：72.5 克
尺寸：總高 74 毫米，頸部直徑21 毫米，壺口11 毫米
拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2004年4月25日，lot 822
價格：HKD 95,600（相當於今日EUR 17,500）
描述：1851-1865年官窯內造粉彩鼻煙壺
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形和裝飾。請注意‘官窯內造’款和尺寸 (60毫米)。請注意這是更常見的、僅模製的版本。
Of pear shape with a wide mouth, finely carved and molded and brightly enameled to depict a fierce five-clawed dragon in high relief with sinuous scaly body chasing a flaming pearl amid colorful swirling clouds. The base with a neatly painted iron-red four-character mark.
Inscriptions: To the base, ‘Liquan zi zhi’ (made by Liquan himself).
Provenance: Collection of John Ault. Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., London, United Kingdom, 2005. A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice from Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., dated 5 July 2005, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price for the present lot of GBP 4,250 or approx. EUR 10,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. John Ault (d. 2014) was a British intelligence officer, novelist, and avid collector of Chinese snuff bottles. Robert Kleiner (1948-2014) was an important expert of Chinese snuff bottles, beginning his long career at Sotheby’s in London. Along with Hugh Moss and Bob Hall, he became a key advisor to the Mary and George Bloch collection, and it was Robert who wrote and produced the very first catalog of their bottles.
Condition: Very good condition with only minor old wear, few expected manufacturing irregularities, remnants of gilt around the mouth. The jade stopper with natural fissures.Some rubbing to enamels.
Stopper: Celadon jade
Weight: 72.5 g
Dimensions: Height incl. stopper 74 mm. Diameter neck 21 mm and mouth 11 mm
Please click here to read the full description
Expert’s note: Only one other bottle with the mark “made by Liquan himself” has been recorded, see Robert Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles, The White Wings Collection, 1997, number 81. Several near-identical bottles do exist, however, these are all molded only (and not additionally carved) and bear the mark Guangyao neizao “made in the official kilns”. It is likely that the whole series was made during the Taiping Rebellion (1853-1864), when the Imperial kilns and surrounding areas were under the control of the rebels, raising considerable problems of protocol in marking porcelains. As Robert Kleiner explains, it is possible that Liquan was the director of the kilns during this time. There is only one further molded and carved version known, but this one is signed Rongjing zuo (made by Rongjing), lacks the enamels, is in the Victoria and Albert Museum since 1883, and was illustrated by Helen White, Snuff Bottles from China, The Victoria and Albert Museum Collection, page 243, number 1. The signature on this bottle also lacks the term for “himself” which could mean that Rongjing may not have been as important as Liquan. It also seems likely that only the carved bottles bear the “made by” marks, while the more common molded bottles bear the official kiln mark.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 25 April 2004, lot 822
Price: HKD 95,600 or approx. EUR 17,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A molded famille rose porcelain snuff bottle, 1851-1865
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and decoration. Note the ‘Guanyao neizao’ (made by the official kilns) mark and the size (60 mm). Also note that this is the more common, molded only version.
点此阅读中文翻译 (Chinese Translation)
1853-1864年粉彩堆塑龍紋鼻煙壺，“子靜自製”款
梨形，廣口，堆塑精美，明亮琺瑯彩，描繪一條矯健的五爪龍，龍身蜿蜒，雲中戲珠。
款識：子靜自製
來源： John Ault 收藏；Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd.，英國倫敦，2005 年；英國私人收藏，購自上述機藝廊。隨附 Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd. 於 2005年 7 月 5 日開具的原始發票副本，確認了斷代，以及當時的售價為 4,250 英鎊或約 10,000 歐元（在撰寫本文時已根據通貨膨脹進行換算和調整）。John Ault（2014 年去世）是一位英國情報官員、小說家和中國鼻煙壺收藏家。Robert Kleiner（1948-2014）是一位重要的中國鼻煙壺專家，他在倫敦蘇富比中國藝術部門度過漫長的職業生涯。他與Hugh Moss和Bob Hall一起成為Mary 與 George Bloch收藏的重要顧問，Robert撰寫並製作了他們的第一個鼻煙壺目錄。
品相：狀況非常好，只有輕微磨損，壺口部周圍有鎏金殘留，壺蓋帶有天然裂紋。部分琺瑯有摩擦。
壺蓋：青玉
重量：72.5 克
尺寸：總高 74 毫米，頸部直徑21 毫米，壺口11 毫米
拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2004年4月25日，lot 822
價格：HKD 95,600（相當於今日EUR 17,500）
描述：1851-1865年官窯內造粉彩鼻煙壺
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形和裝飾。請注意‘官窯內造’款和尺寸 (60毫米)。請注意這是更常見的、僅模製的版本。
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Auction: THREE-DAY AUCTION - Fine Chinese Art / 中國藝術集珍 / Buddhism & Hinduism, 11th Oct, 2023
Join Zacke for a three-day live auction event featuring 741 works of art from countries as large as China, India, or Indonesia, from the Himalayan valleys and plateaus of Tibet, Nepal, Kashmir, and Pakistan, from the Southeast Asian peoples of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, as well as from the steppes of Central Asia to the plains of Mongolia, and from the Northern Indian basin to the island of Sri Lanka.
A pinnacle event of our autumn calendar – the flagship auction – will take place on Day 1 of the sale (lots 1-247), featuring many important pieces from renowned collections, among them an Imperial Falangcai miniature vase (lot 102), the Ming Dynasty’s largest surviving Zitan figure (lot 187), and an Imperial robe made for the Empress Dowager Cixi (lot 201).
The general auction will follow on Day 2 (lots 248-436) and on Day 3 (lots 437-748), offering items for avid art collectors and first-time buyers alike.
Notable Collector’s Provenances include the Zande Lou Collection, built by J.M. Hu, one of the world’s greatest connoisseurs of Chinese ceramics; James J. Lally, New York, a preeminent scholar of Asian art; Dr. Wou Kiuan, diplomat and founder of the Wou Lien-Pai museum; Zhang Boju, China’s celebrated art collector who was also known as one of the ‘Four Young Princes’; as well as many prestigious names such as Anton Exner, Adolphe Stoclet, Adrian Maynard, Dr. Elsa Graser, Charles Oswald Lidell, George Hathaway Taber, the Chasseloup-Laubat Family, Madame Safia Sassi, John Marsing, Leonardo Vigorelli, American tattoo artist Ed Hardy, and Academy Award winners Michael Phillips and Anthony Powell.
Historic Gallery and Dealership Provenances include Spink & Son, Galerie Jacques Barrère, Michel Beurdeley, E&J Frankel, Hugh Moss, Clare Chu, the Bernheimer Collection, Bluett & Sons, John Sparks, Marsha Vargas, Robert Kleiner, S. Bernstein & Co, Cohen & Cohen, and Michael Goedhuis.
Museum Deaccessions include the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum, the Norton Museum of Art, the Walters Art Museum, the Wou Lien-Pai, the Idemitsu, and the Zelnik István Asian Gold Museum.
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