PRINTThe silhouette agate snuff bottles represent a group in which the natural markings and inclusions within the material are utilized to create the quality of a painting. In Yong Lu’s Leisurely inquiry , it posits, “Agate has many colors and forms. Some have suffused patterns similar to silk thread, pine branches or macaroni and itself a natural picture.” The eagle and bear motif is connotative of the notion 'yingxiong' and it is often reffered to as a pun for the word 'hero'. More specifically, the words 'ying ', eagle and 'xiong ', bear, are homophones of the Chinese word 'yingxiong', which translates as hero. Compare with another agate snuff bottle with the decorative motif of eagles, illustrated inThe complete collection of treasures of the palace museum. Snuff bottles . Hong Kong, 2003, pl.252, p.163. See also another, illustrated inChinese snuff bottle , Hugh M Moss ltd, London, 1970, pl.108, p.32.
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9008
AN AGATE SNUFF BOTTLE
19TH CENTURY |
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The well-hollowed bulbous body carved in mid-relief on one side with an eagle and bear, its eyes and feather finely incised, the reverse with a long-bearded fisherman with a fishing rod in one hand and a scaly fish in the other, the stone mottled with naturalistic dark russet inclusions highlighting the exquisite contours of the design. |
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Estimate
30,000 - 42,000 117,000 - 164,000 3,900 - 5,400
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Sold Price 78,000
302,326
10,065
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The silhouette agate snuff bottles represent a group in which the natural markings and inclusions within the material are utilized to create the quality of a painting. In Yong Lu’s Leisurely inquiry , it posits, “Agate has many colors and forms. Some have suffused patterns similar to silk thread, pine branches or macaroni and itself a natural picture.” The eagle and bear motif is connotative of the notion 'yingxiong' and it is often reffered to as a pun for the word 'hero'. More specifically, the words 'ying ', eagle and 'xiong ', bear, are homophones of the Chinese word 'yingxiong', which translates as hero. Compare with another agate snuff bottle with the decorative motif of eagles, illustrated inThe complete collection of treasures of the palace museum. Snuff bottles . Hong Kong, 2003, pl.252, p.163. See also another, illustrated inChinese snuff bottle , Hugh M Moss ltd, London, 1970, pl.108, p.32.