Two Immortals

QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

A MAGNIFICENT TWO IMMORTALS 珐琅彩 FALANGCAI SNUFF BOTTLE

An exquisitely painted compact miniature bottle of rounded form.
Two Daoist Immortals dressed in pastel robes seated on a log with green leafy branches, a basket of red blossoms hanging on one.
Surrounded by tempestuous curling foaming waves, as it floats across a stormy sea to Mt. Penglai 蓬萊 located in the Eastern Sea Donghai 東海 where the immortals lived.

The male immortal on the left seated beside a red gourd tied with a blue ribbon that has come loose and floats behind in the wind.
The female immortal on the right holding a red lingzhi.
A rocky background, a mountainous range in the far distance.
Five bats in flight.

The collar and foot bearing elaborate patterned borders.

A four character Qianlong Period Mark in cobalt against a white ground under.

This is one of the smallest enamel snuff bottles I have seen, the finely detailed painting is magnificent.

To truly appreciate this spectacular treasure, one needs to view this bottle under a magnifying glass.

A Masterpiece of Miniature Painting

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 original cap.

A modern metal 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: 4.1 cm
Width about: 3.6 cm
A$3950

This is an auspicious bottle, the grouping of five bats is called 五福 Wu Fu, or the Five Blessings: Virtue, Health, Long Life, Wealth, and a Peaceful Death.

Similar Bottles:
Christies Hong Kong 25 April 2004. Lot 808
The Christie's bottle is virtually identical to this in the painting.
Sold 1,855,750 HKD
(The Christie's bottle is not as small or compact as this masterpiece).

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).