A CARVED AGATE ‘MELON AND LEAVES’ SNUFF BOTTLE, QING DYNASTY Agate of even caramel tone, with a darker layer of butterscotch and some shades of maroon. Good surface polish. China, 1780-1860Carved in the shape of a melon with concentric striations. High relief on one side with two smaller melons borne on a leafy vine that continuously extends around the bottle. Cleverly executed under consideration of a natural butterscotch layer in the stone.Shape: Melon formHollowing: GoodMouth, neck and lip: The small mouth is succinct to the designBase: Two carved leaves build the standStopper: Carved amazonite in the shape of a tendril Height of the bottle with stopper: 7 cmWidth of the mouth: 6 mmWidth of the neck: n/aCondition: Good, with minor nibbling to some leavesProvenance: German Private CollectionLiterature comparison: The Pilkington Collection of Chinese Art. Sotheby’s, April 6th 2016, HONG KONG, lot 69. (for a white jade bottle with a similar design) ASIAN ART, Bonham’s, November 4th 2013, LONDON, lot 274. (for an amber bottle with a similar design).Expertise: Alexander Zacke瑪瑙雕瓜藤鼻煙壺, 清代平整棕色瑪瑙帶赤褐色與濃棕色處, 優雅磨光中國, 1780–1860 年雕成一大條紋瓜與兩個小瓜在藤蔓上掛. 巧妙地布景, 用赤褐色處 強調圖案細節.形狀:瓜形掏膛:完整瓶口、頸、瓶唇: 小口適合圖案形狀底足:架由兩個小葉組成蓋: 天河石雕成藤蔓形高(帶蓋):7厘米口徑:0.6厘米頸部直徑:無狀態敘述:良好, 有些葉部分帶細小的不完處來源:德國舊藏文獻: The Pilkington Collection of Chinese Art. Sotheby’s, 2016 年4月6日, HONG KONG, 編號69. ASIAN ART, Bonham’s, 2013 年 11月4日, LONDON, 編號274.