Lot 2134. A rare pair of ruby-red-overlay snowflake glass bottle vases, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century; 10 in. (25.4 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 250,000 - HKD 350,000. Price realised HKD 500,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2012
Each globular body is finely carved through the ruby-red overlay to the snowflake ground with a scene of Liu Hai teasing a three-legged toad with a string of cash in the far distance, and in the near distance Shoulao is standing on a mountain path followed by his attendant. The scene is depicted below walled pavilions carved on the tall cylindrical neck. The vases are each supported on a dark ruby-red foot, incised to the base with an apocryphal Qianlong four-character reign mark. (2).
Property from the Walter and Phyllis Shorenstein Collection
Provenance: Charlotte Horstmann & Gerald Godfrey Ltd., Hong Kong, 3 June 1988
Note: Compare to the pair of similar vases in the Andrew K.F. Lee Collection, illustrated in Elegance and Radiance, The Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000, no. 111, which also have Qianlong marks, and are dated late 18th/19th century. The style of carving of the ruby-red overlay to the snowflake ground is very similar, as is the inclusion of walled pavilions on the necks.
Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 28 November 2012, Hong Kong