AN INSCRIBED SIMULATED-AQUAMARINE GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE

The bottle 18th/19th century with a later Guangxu inscription

The bottle 18th/19th century with a later Guangxu inscription
Of elongated ovoid form with tapering shoulders, incised to the body with a depiction of Xiwangmu, the sides with beast mask and ring handles above inscriptions variously reading Guangxu yi wei xu zao 'Xu Zao, in the Yi Wei year of the Guangxu reign' (corresponding to 1895) and Xing qi shi zhu qingwan 'Elegant plaything of the host of Xingqi Hall', stopper and ivory spoon. 6.6cm (2 5/8in) high. (2).

十八/十九世紀 仿海藍寶料人物紋鼻煙壺

Provenance:
Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent

來源：
倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今

Aquamarine was among the stones that came from western borderland areas that were under Qing control in the late Qianlong period. Because the specimens large enough for a snuff bottle were often flawed, artisans devised glass that could be made to look like flawless stone. The versatility of glass led to a vogue in the production in glass of simulated precious stones and materials.

十八世紀後期，清朝疆域版圖下的西部邊陲已有海藍寶等礦石出產；但因尺寸足以製作鼻煙壺的石材難免瑕疵，工匠遂仿造海藍寶勻淨清亮的色澤製成玻璃器。本例壺身刻畫西王母像，兩側以隸書刻「光緒乙未徐藻 省㩻室主清玩」款。