G42 A black overlay brown glass “Nine cauldrons” snuff bottle

Description

Description:  Chinese black overlay brown glass snuff bottle, carved with the “Nine Cauldrons” motif (about the meaning of the “Nine Cauldrons” motif, see glass snuff bottle G36). This bottle has been transformed in Europe into a perfume bottle by fitting a gold and enamel lid and a stick of glass or quartz.

Foot/base:  Protruded foot and convex base

Mark:

Dating:  18^th Century. Probably Palace Workshops, Beijing. Read the Reference notes below related to the estimated dating.

Material:  Glass.

Size:  58 mm high

Stopper:  Gold with inserted a glass or quartz stick with hexagonal base.

Provenance:  German antiquarian market

References:  See the similar example of the LACMA. The last two pictures are showing a direct comparison of the carvings of the reference and our bottle. What is remarkable is the more pronounced tridimensional effect, the highest relief and the more detailed carving of our bottle, which denotes an older dating. Even more considering that the LACMA bottle is 70 mm high, which means 20% bigger.

Notes:  As indicated by the fitting box, the adaptation has been made by D.S. Lavender Antiques.  Previously based on Conduit Street, then on Grafton Street (where the bottle has been modified), then on South Moulton Street, and then in a penthouse showroom above S.J. Phillips on Bond Street, the jewelry/shop managed by David Lavender was known for the passion of the owner for everything small, being it portrait miniatures, fine jewels, snuffboxes, and what he was describing as other “objects with a history”.