chine Polychrome glazed porcelain, famille rose enamels (fencai), iron red and gilding Rare pair of Qing dynasty snuff boxes in famille rose porcelain with a yellow ground – “Children at - 7.8 cm






Studied Asian art and art market management; researched art in Taipei; worked in auctions.
€100 |
|---|
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 145414 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
This pair of Qing dynasty snuff bottles, dating to around 1780–1820, is made of polychrome famille rose porcelain with a yellow ground and depicts children at play beneath four-character Qianlong marks.
Description from the seller
Rare pair of Chinese polychrome-enamelled porcelain snuff bottles, Qing dynasty, with a lemon-yellow ground and famille rose (fencai) decoration, bearing four-character iron-red seal marks reading Qianlong nianzhi 乾隆年製 under the bases.
The two bottles display a pleasing harmony of form and decoration. Slender and flattened in silhouette, each has a panel on its broad faces, outlined in iron-red and gilt, depicting children at play: two children on one face and three on the other.
The yellow ground is enriched with polychrome floral scrolls, stylised flowers and, on the narrow sides, small masks in slight relief and auspicious motifs. The fine painting of the figures, the richness of the palette and the balanced decoration give this pair a particularly elegant presence.
By comparison with several closely related early examples, this pair can be dated to the late 18th or early 19th century, with its stylistic centre of gravity corresponding to the end of the Qianlong reign and the Jiaqing period, circa 1780–1820.
The two snuff bottles come with their jadeite cabochon stoppers, well suited to the necks.
Dimensions: height 7.8 cm each.
Weight: approximately 31 g each.
Provenance: old Taiwanese private collection, formed mainly in the 1980s–1990s.
Very good overall condition considering age, with light old wear, minor rubbing to the enamels and gilding, and a few firing irregularities. Please examine the many detailed photographs carefully.
A detailed condition report accompanies the lot.
Seller's Story
Rare pair of Chinese polychrome-enamelled porcelain snuff bottles, Qing dynasty, with a lemon-yellow ground and famille rose (fencai) decoration, bearing four-character iron-red seal marks reading Qianlong nianzhi 乾隆年製 under the bases.
The two bottles display a pleasing harmony of form and decoration. Slender and flattened in silhouette, each has a panel on its broad faces, outlined in iron-red and gilt, depicting children at play: two children on one face and three on the other.
The yellow ground is enriched with polychrome floral scrolls, stylised flowers and, on the narrow sides, small masks in slight relief and auspicious motifs. The fine painting of the figures, the richness of the palette and the balanced decoration give this pair a particularly elegant presence.
By comparison with several closely related early examples, this pair can be dated to the late 18th or early 19th century, with its stylistic centre of gravity corresponding to the end of the Qianlong reign and the Jiaqing period, circa 1780–1820.
The two snuff bottles come with their jadeite cabochon stoppers, well suited to the necks.
Dimensions: height 7.8 cm each.
Weight: approximately 31 g each.
Provenance: old Taiwanese private collection, formed mainly in the 1980s–1990s.
Very good overall condition considering age, with light old wear, minor rubbing to the enamels and gilding, and a few firing irregularities. Please examine the many detailed photographs carefully.
A detailed condition report accompanies the lot.
