Lot 1155
Treasury 5, no.961 (‘The Reif Prunus’)
HK$10,000

Semi-translucent very dark olive-brown (appearing as black in normal light) glass and translucent white glass; with a slightly concave inner lip and recessed flat foot surrounded by a protruding flat foot rim; carved as a single overlay with severed blossoming prunus branches on each main side, those on one main side extending onto both narrow sides
1780-1860
Height: 4.1 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.50/1.19 cm
Stopper: jadeite; silver collar

Provenance:
Reif Collection
Christie’s, New York, 18 October 1993, lot 187

Published:
Treasury 5, no.961

While this appears to be a typical example of a miniature from the first half of the nineteenth century, evidence suggests that the decline in standards during the late eighteenth century was not a simple linear process, with a steady deterioration in quality year by year. That would be far too easy for a subject like Chinese glass. As standards were eroded, accommodating increasingly careless workmanship from the palace lapidaries, lesser works were still accompanied by occasional masterpieces like the glorious Sale 1, lot 8, which can be dated to 1780, give or take a decade. Once we include in the equation the possible private workshops, some no doubt producing work of the highest standards by the late Qianlong era, we are faced with what we have come to expect in relation to Qing glass production: confusion.

This is a remarkably striking little bottle by virtue of its bold colour contrast and confident composition, although there are hints of pattern-book formalism and traces of carving marks on the ground plane are all too evident, as is careless matching of colour to foot rim.

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.