Pine Rock Flowers

QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE IMPERIAL STYLE 珐琅彩 FALANGCAI SNUFF BOTTLE

The bottle of flattened spherical form decorated on either side with rounded circular panels.
On one side a large pierced rock in blue, a bifurcated branching pine tree behind.
Dark Pink Nandina (flowering bamboo), two leafy branches of light pink Pieris (Lily of the Valley Bush) beside.

The reverse, leafy branches bearing rose and yellow Peonies, set beside a blue pierced rock.
The shoulders decorated each with six Shou characters against sprigs of leafy peaches and blossoms, extending to the foot.

The collar with green leaf tips under a white border.

The base with a Blue Kangxi Mark on a white ground.

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

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector

Condition: Excellent. No cap . A modern one can be supplied

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: 4.7 cm

A$4,000

An absolutely superb bottle, that is nearly identical in design to a snuff bottle that was in the Meriem Collection of Important Chinese Snuff Bottles auctioned New York 19 September 2007. Sale 1935 Lot 640. (657,000 USD)

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).