chine Molded porcelain

Rare molded and glazed Chinese porcelain double snuff bottle, Qing dynasty, 19th century, circa 1800–1877. This remarkable snuff bottle is distinguished by an unusually intricate construction: it is made of two independent inner compartments, each served by its own neck and closed with a distinct stopper. It is therefore not merely a bottle with a double lip, but truly a functional double snuff bottle. The flattened oval body is entirely animated by a rich molded relief decoration, enhanced with polychrome enamels in vivid colors and broad gilded accents. The decoration unfolds continuously around the bottle and forms a genuine panoramic scene. On one face appears a significant ceremonial court scene, gathering a high-ranking figure surrounded by numerous officials, guards, and soldiers. The other face represents a lively palatial setting with ladies of the court, dignitaries, and figures moving among the architecture and garden elements. The profusion of figures, the finesse of the modeling, the multitude of colors, and the gilded backgrounds give this small bottle a particularly decorative and narrative presence. Both necks are adjacent but connect to two distinct cavities, an essential and sought-after characteristic of this typology. The bottle also retains its two stoppers in pale rose quartz, mounted on cork tenons. The set belongs to the group of double porcelain snuff bottles molded and glazed, produced in China during the Qing dynasty in the 19th century. Comparable examples are preserved notably at the British Museum, the Princeton University Art Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, confirming the antiquity and interest of this typology. Condition: good overall for its age. Normal wear, localized wear to the gilding and enamels, minor firing imperfections and some small chips at the necks. One neck shows a small ancient filling. No significant structural fractures of the body are visible. The two stoppers are present. Dimensions: height with stoppers 6.8 cm; total width of the two necks 3.1 cm; mouth diameters 0.9 and 1 cm. Weight: 75 g. Provenance: English trade; private Belgian collection. A particularly captivating Qing double snuff bottle, both for its two-reservoir construction and for the richness of its figural decoration, the preservation of its two stoppers, and its remarkable polychrome profusion. video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/x44nrow2fwmgzz3sqyywa/AI5k63o0yVZXSCWLAkvPDMk?rlkey=228rmox08cv093d4zfwh1kuer&dl=0

Estimate:$2,240.21

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