Footnotes

• Treasury 1, no. 4
  
  閃玉隨形鼻煙壺
  
  A nephrite pebble-material snuff bottle
  
  Nephrite of pebble material, with artificial colour; of well hollowed, irregular form; the natural pebble skin enhanced with staining
  1700–1880
  Height: 5.7 cm (measured at right angles to the lip)
  Mouth: 0.62 cm
  Stopper: nephrite bead
  
  Condition: Small old nibble to lip
  
  Provenance:
  Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 18 May 1988, lot 585
  
  Published:
  Kleiner 1995, no. 76
  Treasury 1, no. 4
  
  Exhibited:
  British Museum, June–October 1995
  Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 1997
  
  The pebble form of this bottle has probably been contrived to a much greater extent than is apparent, and the natural skin area was originally a good deal smaller. It appears to have been extended by artificial staining, which has also considerably enhanced the original skin- colouring. When this is done skilfully, it is often difficult to tell the difference between what is natural and what is contrived, but there seems little doubt that this pebble has been stained.
  
  The result is not only a lovely form, which is a delight to fondle, but a gorgeous colour, shaded towards one corner in very gentle gradations to leave the tip of the one pointed section standing out like a snow-covered peak when the bottle is turned on its side. A plain pebble form can be viewed as sculpture from a number of possible angles, since there is no design to dictate orientation.
  
  閃玉隨形鼻煙壺
  
  卵石料，掏膛徹底 , 形式不規則，有所沁染
  1700–1880
  高﹕ 5.7 厘米 (與唇面的夾角為直角而測量)
  口徑﹕ 0.62 厘米
  蓋﹕ 閃玉珠
  
  狀態敘述： 唇呈舊的咬口
  
  來源:
  香港蘇富比，1988年5月18日，拍賣品號 585
  
  文獻﹕
  Kleiner 1995, 編號 76
  Treasury 1, 編號 4
  
  展覽﹕
  大英博物館， 1995年6月～10月
  Israel Museum, 耶路撒冷，1997年
  
  本壺的卵石形大概不是全自然的，有一定的人工琢磨；而且，皮色部分本來小得多， 是以人工沁染擴大的，顏色質量也是用人工沁染提高的。可算是妙手奪天工，人工成素不容易識別。

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Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art

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