A RARE CHINESE FAMILLE ROSE MOULDED SNUFF BOTTLE

A RARE CHINESE FAMILLE ROSE MOULDED SNUFF BOTTLE
C.1853-64

The pear-shaped body decorated with a dragon chasing a flaming pearl of wisdom among clouds, the pale green dragon with black scales, the base inscribed Zijing zi zhi in iron red, 6cm.

Provenance: an English private collection, formerly from the collection of John Ault, purchased from Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., 5th July 2005, a copy of the invoice is available.

Only one other bottle with this mark, the name of the artist who made it, has been recorded (see the White Wings collection, no.81). Several identical bottles do exist, however with the Guangyao neizao mark ?Made in the Official Kilns?, and it is likely that the whole series was made during the Taiping Rebellion (1853-64) when the Imperial kilns were under the control of the rebels.