Three Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Snuff Bottles and a Snuff Jarlet, 19th Century

19th Century

Comprising two 'dragons' examples, each painted with ferocious dragons chasing the pearl of wisdom amongst flames above crashing waves, the larger one bearing a dragon-form mark to the underside, banded agate stopper, the other, "soft paste", with a Yongzheng six-character underglaze blue mark, pale green jadeite stopper; a "soft paste" 'dragon and phoenix' example decorated with a sinuous dragon confronting a winged phoenix bird, both chasing the flaming pearl amongst clouds, green hardstone stopper; a 'melon' snuff jar with a lobed outline, painted with large melons borne on leafy vines.

Height of largest including stopper 3 1/8 in., 7.9 cm.

Property from the Collection of David Billings and Beverly Hall Billings, Nantucket, MA.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Provenance:

Inherited from the Garry P. Mack collection.

Property from the Collection of David Billings and Beverly Hall Billings, Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Creating a collection can be the work of a lifetime and cherishing another's life through his collection is something special indeed. My father's passion for collecting Chinese art infused everything he did. He could weave a snuff bottle story into any aspect of his eclectic world from the kitchen to the chemical lab. Stories still abound about overcrowded and cluttered rooms in the home of this talented and temperamental Renaissance man, but that was years ago and I have shared some of these reflections in other arenas. For now, in ‘the spirit of the chase’ aspect of collecting, I would like to offer an unorthodox haiku to celebrate this occasion.

Can I put new stoppers

On old bottles and

Call them mine?

Or is it time to empty boxes

And pursue the divine?

Beverly Hall Billings

Nantucket, Massachusetts

The larger 'dragon' bottle is in overall good condition with a few pits in the glaze, and the stopper glued to the bottle; the smaller 'dragon' bottle with a chip to the rim and craquelure in the glaze; the 'dragon and phoenix' example with light surface wear to the lip, craquelure in the glaze, a chip to the foot ring and pitting to the glaze on the underside, missing the spoon; the 'melon' snuff jar with small chip to lip, lacking stopper.

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The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.

Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Annie Wu

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Asian Art

[email protected]312.447.3260

Ms. Wu joined the firm in 2014, after working as a specialist in the Asian Works of Art Department of an East Coast auction house. She researches, appraises, and sells Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, and South East Asian works of art, including jades, bronzes, ceramics, paintings, armor, and furniture. Throughout her career, Ms. Wu has achieved record prices for several prominent estates and collections, including the Estate of Frank G. Mertes, Sr., Winona, Minnesota; the Chinese Painting Collection of Ms. Yuan Jiaying and Mr. Li Guoyuan, Chicago; the Estate of Hisazo Nagatani, Chicago, and the Asian Art Collection deaccessioned from the Strong Museum of Play, Rochester, New York.

Asian Works of Art Online: Snuff Bottles

Three Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Snuff Bottles and a Snuff Jarlet, 19th Century

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