Lot 59

Lot 59
Treasury 1, no. 170
HK$264,000

The Cussons Eggshell Jade

Nephrite; incredibly well hollowed, with a convex lip and concave foot surrounded by a tiny flat footrim
1730–1840
Height: 5.65 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.71/1.82 cm
Stopper: coral, carved with a chi dragon

Illustration: watercolour by Peter Suart

Lot 59 Provenance:
Alex S. Cussons
Hugh Moss
S. C. Harris and R. G. H. Binney
Robert Hall (1984)

Published:
JICSBS, December 1977, p. 21, no. 33
Treasury 1, no. 170

Lot 59 Commentary:
This is one of a small group of super-hollowed nephrite bottles put together by Hugh Moss for his private collection during the 1960s and early 1970s, before he stopped actively collecting snuff bottles and began to dispose of his collection in 1975 (for others, see Moss, Graham, and Tsang 1993, nos. 54, 56 and 57). No others from the collection were as well hollowed as this particular bottle, and it may well be the most thinly hollowed of all known snuff bottles. Few other known nephrite bottles even come close, although one of the rare exceptions is also in this collection, Treasury 1, no. 169. Because of the extreme thinness, the finely-dappled and fibrous nature of the material is revealed quite clearly, giving the overall surface an additional textural dimension and resembling, on one side with its densely packed, small white specks, the common ‘snowflake’ ground of glass overlay snuff bottles. It might even be appropriate to refer to this unique bottle as being carved from ‘snowstorm nephrite.’ Formally the bottle with its beautifully made, oval shape is as impeccable as are most of these well-hollowed plain jade bottles that were probably produced during the mid-Qing period and, although we have left a wider possible dating range, most likely after 1760 (see discussion under Treasury 1, no. 169). The popularity of this form at court has been discussed elsewhere (see under Treasury 1, nos. 88 and 165), but there is the other possible connection with the court represented by the super-hollowing which, while not allowing for an attribution, raises the possibility of a palace workshops source (see discussion under Treasury 1, no. 169).

Coral (and occasionally other materials) carved with chi dragons is one of the standard early forms of stopper, which continued to be popular throughout the snuff bottle period. Coral beads with a similar design are still commonly made today and sometimes cut in half to create stoppers, while a few specialists in Hong Kong and China still make stoppers of this type in turquoise and lapis lazuli, among other materials. Like the snuff bottles themselves, the quality of these carved stoppers varies depending upon the skill of the carver and demand from patrons. This is one of the most impressive known, with a long, lithe, sinuous dragon curled around the entire, slightly bulbous-edged stopper. It is also an obviously early example. The carving of the dragon is as fine as that on the best snuff bottles decorated with this subject and the stopper is a work of art in its own right. It is also the perfect complement for so plain a bottle. The top of the stopper has a small hole where once a tiny seed pearl would have been placed to represent the flaming pearl to which the dragon is so frequently linked.