Footnotes

• Treasury 3, no. 419
  
  綠松石岩鼻煙壺
  
  A turquoise-matrix snuff bottle
  
  Turquoise matrix; well hollowed, with a flat lip and protruding, concave foot
  1760–1880
  Height: 6.08 cm
  Mouth/lip: 0.67/1.63 and 1.52 cm (oval)
  Stopper: coral, carved with a chi dragon; turquoise collar
  
  Condition: Small nibbles to two areas on outer footrim; otherwise, workshop condition
  
  Provenance:
  Hugh M. Moss Ltd. (1993)
  
  Published:
  Treasury 3, no. 419
  
  Exhibited:
  Musée de la Miniature, Montélimar, 2000
  
  This bottle exhibits remarkable variation in the colour of the stone, proving beyond doubt that handling alone does not necessarily lead to greener material. Here the upper section is a rather dull greenish colour, while a band around the base is a brilliant sky-blue much closer to gem material. There is obviously no way that the upper section could have been handled while the base was not, particularly since the foot returns to the greener colour. The colour of the original material obviously varies considerably before any subsequent handling affects its appearance, although handling certainly does patinate the surface of turquoise, tending to turn it greener, whatever the starting colour is.
  
  The bottle sports a splendidly suitable stopper, the turquoise collar picking up the colour around the base, and the carved coral cabochon providing a harmonious contrast.
  
  綠松石岩鼻煙壺
  
  綠松石岩；掏膛徹底 , 平唇，突出凹底
  1760–1880
  高﹕ 6.08 厘米
  口徑/唇徑： 0.67/1.63 and 1.52 厘米 (橢圓形)
  蓋﹕珊瑚，雕螭紋，綠松石座
  
  狀態敘述：圈足外緣呈兩個細小咬痕；此外，出坊狀態
  
  來源:
  Hugh M. Moss Ltd. (1993)
  
  文獻﹕
  Treasury 3, 編號 419
  
  展覽﹕
  Musée de la Miniature, Montélimar, 2000
  
  看本壺顏色的變化就能了解到，綠松石岩本來就有很多種顏色，不是經過歲月的摹擦而都變綠，儘管緣色深化了。

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Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art

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