Plum Blossoms

QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

PLUM BLOSSOM SNUFF BOTTLE 珐琅彩 Falangcai Enamel

AN ARTISTIC MASTERPIECE.

Framed within double concentric circles of imperial yellow, branching boughs bearing plum blossoms and buds in varying stages.
The reverse with a different scene on the same subject.
The shoulders set with stylised blossoms, tiny plums growing on short stems.
All delicately and exquisitely painted in an amazing, glorious display of colours, hues and tones, that totally enchant the eye of the beholder.
The base with a blue 4 character Kangxi period mark on a white ground.

Condition: Very good condition. No damage. Cap probably not original.

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: 6.0 cm
Width about: 5.3 cm
A$3,500

Note: In over 40 years I have only ever seen one enamel 珐琅彩 Falangcai Snuff Bottle bearing a very similar artwork.
A nearly identical example of branching boughs and plum blossoms is in The Palace Museum - Beijing - China.

Comparing the bottles I believe this to be equal in quality to the ' Plum Blossom Snuff Bottle in the Palace Museum '
It is of the same high standard as the Snuff Bottles produced in the Imperial Workshops of the Imperial Palace, 造 辦 處 Zaobanchu

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector.

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).