A YELLOWISH-GREEN JADE SNUFF BOTTLE
Probably imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing. 1740-1800
Of flattened, rectangular form with shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck and with a neatly carved oval footrim, very well-hollowed, the material of a yellowish-green color; stopper.
2 5/8in (6.8cm) high
Footnotes:
1740-1800 黃玉素面鼻煙壺一件
或為御製，亦或為北京宮廷作坊製

Provenance:
Sotheby's London, March 29, 1983 lot 125, col. pl. III
Joan and Ted Dorf Collection, no. 103

Nephrite that is truly yellow in color is rare. There is no reason to adorn this elegant bottle in any way; the carver is aware that he has created a masterpiece by using a superb piece of stone and hollowing it out. Its simple form is deceptive. In fact it is so correctly proportioned that even removing the footrim would have destroyed the subtle balance of purity and form. Sir Percival David translated the Kaogu Yaolun ('Essentials of Chinese Connoisseurship') written during the Ming dynasty, where the comments about yellow jade are pertinent:
'Yellow jade: Stones with the colour of the chestnut kernel, known also as sweet yellow, are the most valuable...'.

Small aperture, well centered, and well-hollowed.