Basket of Flowers & Fruit

QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

A MAGNIFICENT FRUIT & FLOWER 珐琅彩 FALANGCAI SNUFF BOTTLE

The bottle painted to resemble a finely woven cane basket of fruit, the upper edge with a band of wan symbols enclosed in circles.
The foot with a similar motif.
The two basket handles on the narrow sides coming together then dividing at the shoulders to encircle the neck.
A puce ribbon tied at the top of the handles on both sides.

The basket with two lush peaches attached to an unseen branch, the leaves of which are hanging over the side, plump purple grapes, yellow Buddha's hand citron, and a variety of other fruits.
Yellow and pink chrysanthemums on leafy stalks, purple asters.
All set against a blue and white stippled ground.

The base with a Blue Qianlong Seal Mark on a white ground.

A Miniature Masterpiece

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector

Condition: Excellent.
No original cap.

A modern gold metal colour filigreed stopper is offered.

Refer Large Images for details, quality and condition, they also form the description.
Depending on your computer monitor / phone / etc colour may vary to actual.

Dimensions are maximum measurements

Height about: 5.5 cm
Width about: 4.6 cm
A$3,500

Similar bottles: Sold Sotheby's Hong Kong 15 November 1988. Lot 79

Arts of Asia magazine Sept/ Oct 1990 page 96

Sold Bonhams 28 May 2010 Lot 67 Mary & George Bloch

This superb bottle is comparable in quality to those bottles produced in the Imperial Workshops of the Imperial Palace, 造 辦 處 Zaobanchu .

Enamel snuff bottles painted with European scenes were a favourite of the Chinese Court and Chinese collectors in the Qing Period 1644 to 1911.
Snuff bottles were in great demand by western collectors starting in the 19th century and still are.
Snuff bottles with European style artworks were normally based on prints and books transported to China by travellers.
The demand for Chinese art and antiques exploded when the first appropriated artworks taken from the Summer Palace made their way back to England France etc.
Considered by all the major experts such as Bob C. Stevens (the Collectors Book of Snuff Bottlers 1976) and the major famous collections, such as Guo'an. Bloch. Meriem. J & J. to name a few.
The finest of all snuff bottles are those that are enamelled on copper, brass, glass, gold.
The art of enamelling was introduced to the Chinese Court in the Kangxi era 1654 to 1722, by the Jesuit Guiseppe Castiglione (Lan Shining).