I.85
The Emperor’s Gold

Inlaid famille rose enamels on gold (cloisonné); with a flat lip, slightly concave foot, and convex foot rim; decorated on each main side with an identical design of five bats, the lowest one holding in its mouth a beribboned twin cash symbol, the other four facing a shou (‘longevity’) character set in a foliate panel surrounded by formalized floral scrolling incorporating twinned fish, peaches, Indian lotus, and a segment of leiwen (‘thunder pattern’), the outer foot with a band of formalized petals, the neck with band of formalized lingzhi and pendent petals; the interior, lip, and foot without enamel
Palace workshops, Beijing, 1720-1780
Height: 4.95 cm     
Mouth/lip: 0.72/1.11 cm
Stopper: gold, chased with a formalized floral design

Provenance:
John Ault
Robert Kleiner, June 2005
Robert Hall, June 2005
Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd, July 2005

Published:
Journal of the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society, Spring 1987, front cover (top left)
Chang Gang 常罡, Canghai yizhu: Qiasi falang biyanhu yanjiu 滄海遗珠掐絲珐琅鼻烟壺研究 [Undiscovered pearls in the deep ocean: A study of cloisonné enamel snuff bottles] (Beijing: SDX Joint Publishing Co., 2013), 89, no. 16