Lot 93
Treasury 5, no. 943 (‘Fat Profits’)
HK$125,000

Transparent emerald-green glass and colourless glass with some milky streaking, suffused with air bubbles of various sizes, many elongated, including a few large ones; with a flat lip and flat oval foot made up of elements of the design; carved as a single overlay with a continuous design of a carp in a lotus pond with a cattail, the fish wrapping beneath the foot of the bottle with the sun above its tail
1730-1770
Height: 5.14 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.99/1.50 cm
Stopper: tourmaline, carved with a coiled chi feline; jadeite finial

Provenance:
Hugh M. Moss Ltd., Hong Kong (1987)

Published:
Kleiner 1995, no. 168
Treasury 5, no. 943

Exhibited:
British Museum, London, June-October 1995
Israel Museum, Jerusalem, July-November 1997

This is another magnificent example of the same school as no. 942. The size of both the bottle and its mouth, together with the shape, depth, and extraordinarily sculptural quality of the carving as well as the similarity of materials all link this firmly to the group. Particularly strong links exist to the geese and lotus bottles, nos. 892 and 926, where the carving of the lotus leaves is so similar, even in such fine detail as the distinctive composition of one upper leaf, which is shown from beneath so that it appears as a cone folded back on itself round the top.

The stopper is one of the loveliest old examples known. A gorgeous piece of tourmaline has been carved with a lively chi feline and inset with a tiny but brilliantly coloured cabochon of jadeite. It has an early spoon of the appropriate length and width, given the wide mouth of this bottle, and it is tempting to consider whether it might have been an original. If the stopper were not made for this bottle, it is certainly worthy of it.

This is not the Sotheby’s sale catalogue. This is a product of Hugh Moss for the purposes of this website. For the catalogue details please refer to Sotheby’s website or request a copy of a printed sale catalogue from Sotheby’s.