The Meriem Collection Part II. Lot 239

239
**A RARE AND WELL-CARVED BROWN-STREAKED GREEN
OVERLAY BUBBLE-SUFFUSED COLORLESS GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE
IMPERIAL, PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1760-1810
Of compressed form with flat lip and flat recessed foot surrounded by a footrim, carved through the transparent brown-streaked pale olive-green layer with a continuous design of two chi dragons with coiled, sinuous bodies, tourmaline stopper
6.0 cm. high
$5,000-7,000

P R O V E N A N C E :
Hugh Moss Ltd.

E X H I B I T E D :
Canadian Craft Museum, Vancouver, 1992.

The attribution of this bottle to the Palace workshops is supported by its material, dragon motif and expert finish. It is linked to a group of early Imperial glass snuff bottles, usually in blue, red or green on a bubble-suffused, colorless ground, characterized by high, well-rounded relief of impressive sculptural quality.

For another bottle from this same stylistic group, with blue overlay chi dragons, see lot 270. For another Imperial glass bottle carved with chi dragons, see an amber glass bottle formerly from the J & J Collection and illustrated by Moss, Graham and Tsang, in The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle. The J & J Collection, no. 369, sold in these rooms, 30 March 2005, lot 48. Another example with red overlay on a bubble-suffused colorless ground, formerly from the Meriem Collection, was sold in these rooms, 19 September 2007, lot 631. See also, Moss, Graham and Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, Vol. 5, Glass, no. 984, for a white glass snuff bottle with brown-streaked pale green overlay on one main side.

The Meriem Collection Part II. Lot 239