Susan Page
ABOUT
Susan Page specialises in Chinese Snuff Bottles made during the 18th and 19th Centuries for use, and inside painted examples from the 20th Century. A regular participant at the Snuff Bottle Society Convention, she is currently resting as a Board Member for the Society.
ADDRESS
Green Park House
15 Stratton Street
London W1J 8LQ
(By Appointment)
CONTACT
Susan Page
T : +44 (0) 203 036 0044
M: +44 (0) 7721 747153
susan@snuffbottlepages.com
www.snuffbottlepages.com
INFORMATION
Highlights from The Golden Autumn Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles
I am delighted to be exhibiting snuff bottles from The Golden Autumn Collection. This collection was formed from the 1970’s onwards by a businessman who travelled within China, the Far East and Australia and became interested in the art form, delighted by the variety of materials. The first bottles he acquired were in the early 70’s in Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Hong Kong he met Hugh Moss and also YF Yang – with whom he enjoyed a long relationship. He also met with Robert Kleiner and then Robert Hall in London. In 2012 Robert Kleiner produced a catalogue of the collection. Nearly all types of snuff bottle are represented and they are of the highest quality.
OPENING HOURS
The exhibition will be held at Daniel Crouch Rare Books Gallery:
4 Bury St, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6AB
Tue 1st Nov: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Wed 2nd Nov: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Thu 3rd Nov: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
Fri 4th Nov: 10.00 am – 5.00 pm
On Wednesday the 2nd at 12 noon, a talk will be held highlighting bottles from the collection
IMAGE GALLERY
Glass; of double-gourd shape encircled by fluting and surmounted by a slender upper bulb with a flared neck and wide mouth, the yellow of pale lemon tone, attributed to the Imperial glassworks, Beijing.
The fluted decoration was first moulded and then sharpened with a knife to provide a dramatic contrast with the elegantly formed upper bulb. This tone of pale yellow was a favourite of the Yongzheng Emperor (1723-1735) with the majority of reign-marked glass items from this period being of this hue.
5.9cm
Glass; the sapphire-blue body of slender ovoid shape supported on a raised foot rim of oval section, the mouth with thick walls, suffused overall with gold aventurine-glass inclusions rolled into the sides, attributed to the Imperial Glassworks, Beijing.
This type of glass, where aventurine chips are rolled, or mavered, into the soft surface of the glass during manufacture, was introduced into the Imperial glassworks as early as 1700 and reached its apogee in 1741 with the order by the Qianlong Emperor for sixteen such snuff bottles of differing background colour, including black, sapphire-blue and green, Treasury 5, no. 720. With its elegant form and gold splashes evenly distributed in varying sizes, a compelling vsual statement has been made, with an almost blizzard-like effect.
6.7cm
Glass; the body of very pale yellow tone, overlaid in ruby-red with a thick collar around the narrow mouth, the front with a scaly dragon with limbs extended and four claws, chasing a flaming pearl among stylised clouds, above a second dragon emerging from waves around the countersunk base.
Although superbly finished and polished and carved with vitality, there are hints that this bottle may have been produced slightly later than the preceding group. The scales of the dragons are cross-hatched, with lines criss-crossing, an easier accomplishment than having to denote each scale separately, the heads are simplified and the dragons only have four claws, rather than the five of fully fledged Imperial dragons. The composition, however, is very similar to that on a red overlay vase and a bowl, with QianJong reign-marks, illustrated in Luster, nos. 56 and 75, where the differences in the treatment of scales and features noted above are apparent.
5.8cm
Glass; the ovoid body of bright golden yellow colour, with a widely flared mouth and slightly recessed base, carved overall with a wickerwork pattern composed of an unusually prominent weave, attributed to the Imperial glassworks, Beijing.
This celebrated bottle is one of the most impressive of the series, in materials such as glass, amber and nephrite, carved with variations of the basket-weave motif. Its relatively large size is mitigated by the brilliance and clarity of the-golden-yellow colour and the boldness and skill with which the warp and weft of the weave has been rendered in larger knots than usual. The design is skilfully completed by the neatly finished concave base which appears to pull the whole scheme tautly together.
The use of the basket-weave design as a court motifis well established, Treasury 1, nos. 97 and 98 and Treasury 2, no. 347 and a magnificent example in yellow is illustrated ibid., no. 819 where it is stated that as early as 1723 there is a record of 'an enamelled red glass oil-basket style snuff bottle', which might refer to this design.
6.3cm
Chalcedony; of pale colour with a wide mouth and supported on a splayed foot rim of oval section, carved on each side in varying layers of relief with a pair of archaic confronted dragons on the lower part, the tails raised to cover the head, beneath a dissolved taotie mask on the upper-part, the shoulders carved with mask and ring handles, attributed to the Beijing Palace workshops.
This bottle is a very fine example of a small series made from chalcedony which are carved with outstanding refinement both in technique and in the use of archaistic motifs. The bottles are all made from flawless material of similar pale colour and are very well hollowed. The details are crisply carved in low relief with a confidence which reveals a master carver and are decorated with the archaistic motifs which were typical of Imperial Qing taste during the eighteenth century. The small mask and ring handles on the shoulders are a further indication of court style.
5.4cm
Agate; with a wide mouth and countersunk base, encircled around the centre by a broad white band, extremely well hollowed, Official School.
For the symbolic meaning of the white band around the centre see no. 103 above. The unusually wide and expansive compressed sphere of this bottle adds greatly to its impact and it is a classic example of the Chinese genius for creating great sculptural forms, within the small medium of the snuff bottle, by the skilful use of the natural patterns within the material, couples with faultless craftsmanship.
5.7cm
Glass; the transparent body with a thick-walled mouth, overlaid on one side with a phoenix strutting on a rocky bank framed by pine and prunus, beneath a cloud billow on the shoulders, the reverse with a Buddhist lion, stalking beneath a pine tree, with a cub on a rocky outcrop above, the raised foot rim with a broad edge.
Although quite a common subject, the phoenix on this bottle has been invested with an unusual amount of confidence as it struts across the surface. The scene on the reverse with the lion and its cub on a rocky bank above has moved away from the more stylised subject-matter of the eighteenth century and recalls the style of decoration often found on enamelled snuff bottles of the Daoguang period (1821- 1850).
5.6cm
Porcelain; decorated in underglaze-blue and white on one side with two crabs and a spray of millet and on the reverse with a pair of magpies perched on the branches of a willow tree, the shoulders moulded with elaborate taotie masks suspending rings, the base inscribed Yun shi zhi, 'Made by the Rock Weeder', Jingdezhen kilns.
5.3cm
Nephrite; of flask shape with a very wide mouth and extremely well hollowed, the flared neck with a lipped rim, the shoulders carved with loop handles suspending loose rings, the body supported on a raised foot rim with a crisply carved flattened edge, the almost white material suffused with paler swirls, possibly Imperial.
The Qianlong Emperor greatly admired the quality of Moghul jade vessels which he received in tribute after the conquest of Xinjiang in 1759. One of the qualities he most admired was the thinness of the walls of these vessels and he established a workshop, the Xifanzuo, to produces similar pieces. This resulted in a series of snuff bottles hollowed to such an extent that their walls were almost paper thin. Although undecorated, this bottle shows these signs of Moghul influence which are strengthened by the very wide flared mouth. The lipped rim and loops suspending loose rings are a further sign of court influence and can be seen on two other snuff bottles with a Moghul association in the form of elephant's heads (see Treasury 1, no. 41 and John Ford, Chinese Snuff Bottles. The Edward Choate O'Dell Collection,no. 13).
The impressive form of this bottle, accentuated by the taper of the sides towards the base is further enhanced by the finely carved splayed foot rim, which complements the flared mouth.
6.3cm
Agate; the pear-shaped body with a tall neck surmounted by a lipped rim with a wide mouth, supported on a neatly carved foot rim of oval section with rounded edges, the shoulders carved with mask and ring handles, the body suffused with parallel bands of differing colour encircling the lower part and the shoulders, very well hollowed, attributed to the Beijing Palace workshops.
In describing this bottle in Treasury 2 no.340, the authors called it a masterpiece and it is indeed one of the finest agate snuff bottles recorded. The mask and ring handles link it closely to court design and it is of outstandingly individual form, with the elegant body and unusually elongated neck. The lipped rim is another feature of bottles made within the Imperial workshops. The Chinese referred to this shape as dumping or gall-bladder. The bottle is finely hollowed and the markings are dynamic with the differing textures and width of the bands providing a visual feast suffused with movement.
7.3cm
Nephrite of pebble material; with a narrow mouth and well hollowed, supported on a deep foot rim with a broad edge, the undulating front covered with a richly speckled russet skin,
6.4cm
Chalcedony; with a slightly concave mouth and supported on a shallow foot rim with broad edges, a natural inclusion on front lightly edited to reveal a tree with a gnarled trunk, well hollowed, Official School.
This bottle marks a transition between the Ink-play series in which the patterns are left entirely as found within the material and a series where some surface editing of the material has taken place to help reveal a particular subject. The dendritic inclusion is entirely unaltered where as the inclusion below has been edited to reveal the trunk of the tree.The Scene could also depict a peacock displaying its feathers.
6.2cm
Glass; of double-gourd shape encircled by fluting and surmounted by a slender upper bulb with a flared neck and wide mouth, the yellow of pale lemon tone, attributed to the Imperial glassworks, Beijing.
The fluted decoration was first moulded and then sharpened with a knife to provide a dramatic contrast with the elegantly formed upper bulb. This tone of pale yellow was a favourite of the Yongzheng Emperor (1723-1735) with the majority of reign-marked glass items from this period being of this hue.
5.9cm
Glass; the sapphire-blue body of slender ovoid shape supported on a raised foot rim of oval section, the mouth with thick walls, suffused overall with gold aventurine-glass inclusions rolled into the sides, attributed to the Imperial Glassworks, Beijing.
This type of glass, where aventurine chips are rolled, or mavered, into the soft surface of the glass during manufacture, was introduced into the Imperial glassworks as early as 1700 and reached its apogee in 1741 with the order by the Qianlong Emperor for sixteen such snuff bottles of differing background colour, including black, sapphire-blue and green, Treasury 5, no. 720. With its elegant form and gold splashes evenly distributed in varying sizes, a compelling vsual statement has been made, with an almost blizzard-like effect.
6.7cm
Glass; the body of very pale yellow tone, overlaid in ruby-red with a thick collar around the narrow mouth, the front with a scaly dragon with limbs extended and four claws, chasing a flaming pearl among stylised clouds, above a second dragon emerging from waves around the countersunk base.
Although superbly finished and polished and carved with vitality, there are hints that this bottle may have been produced slightly later than the preceding group. The scales of the dragons are cross-hatched, with lines criss-crossing, an easier accomplishment than having to denote each scale separately, the heads are simplified and the dragons only have four claws, rather than the five of fully fledged Imperial dragons. The composition, however, is very similar to that on a red overlay vase and a bowl, with QianJong reign-marks, illustrated in Luster, nos. 56 and 75, where the differences in the treatment of scales and features noted above are apparent.
5.8cm
Glass; the ovoid body of bright golden yellow colour, with a widely flared mouth and slightly recessed base, carved overall with a wickerwork pattern composed of an unusually prominent weave, attributed to the Imperial glassworks, Beijing.
This celebrated bottle is one of the most impressive of the series, in materials such as glass, amber and nephrite, carved with variations of the basket-weave motif. Its relatively large size is mitigated by the brilliance and clarity of the-golden-yellow colour and the boldness and skill with which the warp and weft of the weave has been rendered in larger knots than usual. The design is skilfully completed by the neatly finished concave base which appears to pull the whole scheme tautly together.
The use of the basket-weave design as a court motifis well established, Treasury 1, nos. 97 and 98 and Treasury 2, no. 347 and a magnificent example in yellow is illustrated ibid., no. 819 where it is stated that as early as 1723 there is a record of 'an enamelled red glass oil-basket style snuff bottle', which might refer to this design.
6.3cm
Chalcedony; of pale colour with a wide mouth and supported on a splayed foot rim of oval section, carved on each side in varying layers of relief with a pair of archaic confronted dragons on the lower part, the tails raised to cover the head, beneath a dissolved taotie mask on the upper-part, the shoulders carved with mask and ring handles, attributed to the Beijing Palace workshops.
This bottle is a very fine example of a small series made from chalcedony which are carved with outstanding refinement both in technique and in the use of archaistic motifs. The bottles are all made from flawless material of similar pale colour and are very well hollowed. The details are crisply carved in low relief with a confidence which reveals a master carver and are decorated with the archaistic motifs which were typical of Imperial Qing taste during the eighteenth century. The small mask and ring handles on the shoulders are a further indication of court style.
5.4cm
Agate; with a wide mouth and countersunk base, encircled around the centre by a broad white band, extremely well hollowed, Official School.
For the symbolic meaning of the white band around the centre see no. 103 above. The unusually wide and expansive compressed sphere of this bottle adds greatly to its impact and it is a classic example of the Chinese genius for creating great sculptural forms, within the small medium of the snuff bottle, by the skilful use of the natural patterns within the material, couples with faultless craftsmanship.
5.7cm
Glass; the transparent body with a thick-walled mouth, overlaid on one side with a phoenix strutting on a rocky bank framed by pine and prunus, beneath a cloud billow on the shoulders, the reverse with a Buddhist lion, stalking beneath a pine tree, with a cub on a rocky outcrop above, the raised foot rim with a broad edge.
Although quite a common subject, the phoenix on this bottle has been invested with an unusual amount of confidence as it struts across the surface. The scene on the reverse with the lion and its cub on a rocky bank above has moved away from the more stylised subject-matter of the eighteenth century and recalls the style of decoration often found on enamelled snuff bottles of the Daoguang period (1821- 1850).
5.6cm
Porcelain; decorated in underglaze-blue and white on one side with two crabs and a spray of millet and on the reverse with a pair of magpies perched on the branches of a willow tree, the shoulders moulded with elaborate taotie masks suspending rings, the base inscribed Yun shi zhi, 'Made by the Rock Weeder', Jingdezhen kilns.
5.3cm
Nephrite; of flask shape with a very wide mouth and extremely well hollowed, the flared neck with a lipped rim, the shoulders carved with loop handles suspending loose rings, the body supported on a raised foot rim with a crisply carved flattened edge, the almost white material suffused with paler swirls, possibly Imperial.
The Qianlong Emperor greatly admired the quality of Moghul jade vessels which he received in tribute after the conquest of Xinjiang in 1759. One of the qualities he most admired was the thinness of the walls of these vessels and he established a workshop, the Xifanzuo, to produces similar pieces. This resulted in a series of snuff bottles hollowed to such an extent that their walls were almost paper thin. Although undecorated, this bottle shows these signs of Moghul influence which are strengthened by the very wide flared mouth. The lipped rim and loops suspending loose rings are a further sign of court influence and can be seen on two other snuff bottles with a Moghul association in the form of elephant's heads (see Treasury 1, no. 41 and John Ford, Chinese Snuff Bottles. The Edward Choate O'Dell Collection,no. 13).
The impressive form of this bottle, accentuated by the taper of the sides towards the base is further enhanced by the finely carved splayed foot rim, which complements the flared mouth.
6.3cm
Agate; the pear-shaped body with a tall neck surmounted by a lipped rim with a wide mouth, supported on a neatly carved foot rim of oval section with rounded edges, the shoulders carved with mask and ring handles, the body suffused with parallel bands of differing colour encircling the lower part and the shoulders, very well hollowed, attributed to the Beijing Palace workshops.
In describing this bottle in Treasury 2 no.340, the authors called it a masterpiece and it is indeed one of the finest agate snuff bottles recorded. The mask and ring handles link it closely to court design and it is of outstandingly individual form, with the elegant body and unusually elongated neck. The lipped rim is another feature of bottles made within the Imperial workshops. The Chinese referred to this shape as dumping or gall-bladder. The bottle is finely hollowed and the markings are dynamic with the differing textures and width of the bands providing a visual feast suffused with movement.
7.3cm
Nephrite of pebble material; with a narrow mouth and well hollowed, supported on a deep foot rim with a broad edge, the undulating front covered with a richly speckled russet skin,
6.4cm
Chalcedony; with a slightly concave mouth and supported on a shallow foot rim with broad edges, a natural inclusion on front lightly edited to reveal a tree with a gnarled trunk, well hollowed, Official School.
This bottle marks a transition between the Ink-play series in which the patterns are left entirely as found within the material and a series where some surface editing of the material has taken place to help reveal a particular subject. The dendritic inclusion is entirely unaltered where as the inclusion below has been edited to reveal the trunk of the tree.The Scene could also depict a peacock displaying its feathers.
6.2cm
