Celadon Jade Snuff Bottle

B9

Jade; bright green with lighter celadon inclusions creating a mottled icy effect; the bottle exceptionally well hollowed, of rounded rectangular form with gently sloping shoulders and raised oval foot, and slightly concave mouth.

Chinese, 1730-1780
Stopper: carnelian
Provenance: Hugh Moss Ltd, London, 1973
Height: 7.2m

This is an exceptional star within the snuff bottle galaxy - a truly beautiful piece of jade, hollowed daringly and expertly, resulting in paper thin walls yet still retaining a vivid green colour. This is a true feat of engineering, especially considering the extraordinary circumstances under which the lapidaries were working during this period - with foot driven drills, levers and pads to literally rub away the inside.