A LARGE AND RARE 'INTEGRAL SNUFF DISH' SOAPSTONE SNUFF BOTTLE, 18TH CENTURY

Massive soapstone bottle of variegated orangeochre tone with deeper orange flushes, carved in high relief, with a fine and smooth surface polish. China, 18th century

Soapstone (talc, also known as steatite), is among the softest of stones used by Chinese carvers and is workable directly with a metal blade while much harder materials require lapidary work. It was mined in various parts of the empire and was found in a range of often spectacular colors. The most sought-after stones were those with attractive coloring and with a translucence that revealed inner texture, as in the present material. The most precious of all soapstone known as tianhuang (field yellow), from Fujian province, slightly resembles the present material in color and structure.

Circular panels framed by a raised border were a feature of early snuff-bottle production, as known from a Yongzheng-marked turquoise bottle from the Susan Ault Collection (Snuff Bottles of the Ch'ing Dynasty, p. 59, no. 38). That one can be ascribed to the court, which may also be the source of this one. One side is distinctly concave and deliberately dished. The creation of the dish required substantial additional work by the carver, with no discernible aesthetic advantage. Hence, we may safely assume that the intention of the maker was to provide of a bottle with an integral, functional snuff dish. In addition, we see confidence and skill exhibited in carving the various details, such as mouth, foot and especially the dramatic mock ring handles to be found on each shoulder.

Shape: Rectangular traditional shape with rounded shoulders
Hollowing: Excellent
Mouth, neck and lip: Elongated cylindric neck with small mouth
Base: Oval, with a massive, raised and flattened foot rim
Design, marks, school: Possibly imperial
Stopper: Pink rose quartz on a green platelet
Height of the bottle with stopper: 8.5 cm.
Width of the mouth: 8 mm.
Width of the neck: 2.4 mm.
Condition: Excellent with hardly visible, minor nibbling to inner foot rim an lip
Provenance: Old Austrian private collection, acquired before 1930, thence by descent

Literature comparison: The Meriem Collection Important Chinese Snuff Bottles, Part II. Christies, New York, March 19th, 2008, lot 278. (for another soapstone bottle, the material of comparable color, but with a higher grade of purity) FINE CHINESE ART. Bonhams, Hong Kong, November 28th, 2011, lot 68. (for a glass bottle with an integral snuff dish) The Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles: Part IV. Christies, New York, March 15th, 2017, lot 369. (for a glass bottle with an integral snuff dish) The International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society (ICSBS) Journal, Spring 2012, pp. 20-29. (for an interesting article on NEW PERSPECTIVES ON "SNUFF BOTTLES WITH INTEGRAL DISHES" by Ka Bo Tsang)

罕見的十八世紀大型開光皂石鼻烟壺
品相極好，唇沿内邊緣有及不可見的磕傷
奧地利私人老收藏，1930年前購入，家族傳承