China – Qing Dynasty Translucent agate / chalcedony Chinese snuffbox in translucent agate, shield-shaped with a geometric decoration. - 6 cm

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Sarah Le Helley
Expert
Selected by Sarah Le Helley

Studied Asian art and art market management; researched art in Taipei; worked in auctions.

Estimate  € 1,000 - € 1,100
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Chinese Qing-dynasty snuff bottle in translucent agate, dating from around 1780–1850, with a shield-shaped form and discreet incised geometric decoration.

AI-assisted summary

Description from the seller

Elegant Chinese agate translucent snuff bottle, datable from the late 18th to the first half of the 19th century, during the Qing dynasty.

The bottle presents a flattened form, particularly architectural, close to a shield, with angular shoulders converging toward a short, slightly flared neck. The stone, in a milky white to pale gray tone, has a beautiful translucency and discreet natural variations that animate the surface.

The two faces are framed by a fine, sober geometric incised decoration, which emphasizes the bottle’s construction without breaking the natural elegance of the agate. This type of treatment, based more on the quality of the stone, the purity of the lines, and the care given to polishing than on figurative decoration, perfectly matches the taste of hardstone snuff bottles of the Qing period.

The stopper, made of orange carnelian and mounted on metal, creates a particularly harmonious contrast with the pale hue of the body.

The bottle is preserved in good overall condition, with slight signs of wear and a few small irregularities compatible with its age. The stem/spoon of the stopper is missing.

A very balanced and refined piece, of interest both for the quality of its agate and for its unusual form and its discreet geometric decoration.

Dimensions: 6 × 3.8 × 1.7 cm
Weight: 39.3 g
China, Qing dynasty, circa 1780-1850.

Seller's Story

MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector. Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken. Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion. Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such. Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation. Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research. The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit. Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google Translate

Elegant Chinese agate translucent snuff bottle, datable from the late 18th to the first half of the 19th century, during the Qing dynasty.

The bottle presents a flattened form, particularly architectural, close to a shield, with angular shoulders converging toward a short, slightly flared neck. The stone, in a milky white to pale gray tone, has a beautiful translucency and discreet natural variations that animate the surface.

The two faces are framed by a fine, sober geometric incised decoration, which emphasizes the bottle’s construction without breaking the natural elegance of the agate. This type of treatment, based more on the quality of the stone, the purity of the lines, and the care given to polishing than on figurative decoration, perfectly matches the taste of hardstone snuff bottles of the Qing period.

The stopper, made of orange carnelian and mounted on metal, creates a particularly harmonious contrast with the pale hue of the body.

The bottle is preserved in good overall condition, with slight signs of wear and a few small irregularities compatible with its age. The stem/spoon of the stopper is missing.

A very balanced and refined piece, of interest both for the quality of its agate and for its unusual form and its discreet geometric decoration.

Dimensions: 6 × 3.8 × 1.7 cm
Weight: 39.3 g
China, Qing dynasty, circa 1780-1850.

Seller's Story

MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector. Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken. Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion. Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such. Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation. Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research. The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit. Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google Translate

Details

Culture
China – Qing Dynasty
Century/timeframe
Fin XVIIIe – première moitié du XIXe siècle, vers 1780-1850
Name of object
Chinese snuffbox in translucent agate, shield-shaped with a geometric decoration.
Acquired from
Auction house
Year acquired
2020
Material
Translucent agate / chalcedony
Country acquired from
France
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Private collection
Height
6 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
2000
Width
3.8 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
France
Depth
1.7 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
BelgiumVerified
514
Objects sold
88.89%
pro

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