A WHITE JADE SNUFF BOTTLE
1750-1800
Of squared form with rounded shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck, and with a neatly carved oval footrim, the nephrite very well-hollowed, and of even white tone, the base with a Qianlong nianzhi mark; stopper.
2 5/8in (6.8cm) high
Footnotes:
1750-1800 白玉素面鼻煙壺一件
《乾隆年製》款

Provenance:
Acquired in New York, September 25, 1986
Joan and Ted Dorf Collection, no. 73

It is well known that He Shen, Qianlong's corrupt and powerful prime-minister had a prolific collection of bottles, around 1400, of which 800 were of white jade, which were confiscated and redistributed in the Court after his forced suicide in 1799 in the following reign. Although it will never be possible to know which of the bottles in present day collections belonged to He Shen, one can always imagine that a bottle such as this would have been a contender for his collection.