Nephrite snuff bottle, pale celadon and olive green cleverly used in the formation of two pairs of intertwined fish, each pair with one light and one dark fish, their fins, gills, eyes and mouths realistically represented.

Reverse: Nephrite snuff bottle, pale celadon and olive green cleverly used in the formation of two pairs of intertwined fish, each pair with one light and one dark fish, their fins, gills, eyes and mouths realistically represented.

THE CHINESE COLLECTION

 

Two Pairs of Fish Snuff Bottle

 

A nephrite well hollowed cameo carved picture snuff bottle with a rose quartz stopper.

B58

Nephrite, pale celadon and olive green cleverly used in the formation of two pairs of intertwined fish, each pair with one light and one dark fish, their fins, gills, eyes and mouths realistically represented, the darker fishes fins used to wrap around the lighter fish.

Chinese, 1780-1850
Stopper: rose quartz with green nephrite finial
Provenance: Joan Wasserman
Hugh Moss Ltd, 1974
Published: Criteria for Judging Snuff Bottles by Hugh Moss, ICSBS Journal, December 1977,
plate 17
Height: 5.6cm

This is one of a very distinctive but small group of snuff bottles, sometimes made from black and white nephrite, which are all of an exceptionally high standard. The twin fish symbol, according to Chinese folklore, represents marital bliss.

 

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