A RUBY-RED OVERLAY WHITE GLASS 'DRAGON AND PHOENIX' SNUFF BOTTLE, QIANLONG White ‘snow flake’ glass, with deeply carved, incised and polished overlay in high relief. China, Qianlong period, 1736-1795Finely carved through the layer of dark ruby-red red glass with a continuous design of a flying dragon and a standing fenghuang on a bubble-suffused 'snowflake' ground.There is a group of glass-overlay snuff bottles characterized by unusually deep overlay, simple engraved lines, fully rounded three-dimensional carving, and absolute artistic and technical confidence. Their carving style represents the sculptural epitome of the art, honed to a rare degree of perfection. Many of these bottles seem to be by the same hand, and stylistic links are exhibited across a range of subjects and color combinations. It is believed they represent the height of this art during the Qianlong period, probably from the first two thirds of the reign. The rather milky ground, neither white nor colorless, is a popular one for the group, and the dark red is another regular feature. In many cases the darkness is related to the thickness of the overlay layer, but in this specific case the material retains an unusually deep red even in thinner sections. The dramatic overall impression is emphasized by a rather more matt polish than is usual for glass-overlay bottles. Shape: Flattened round shapeHollowing: StandardMouth, neck and lip: Cylindric neck with slanted lip, wide and deep cylindric mouth with minor drilling inconstancyBase: Oval raised foot in red overlay with rounded rimDesign, marks, school: Probably Imperial Glassworks, BeijingStopper: Carved glass in imitation of coral, depicting a coiled Chilong, metal mountingHeight of the bottle with stopper: 7,8 cm.Width of the mouth: 9 mm.Width of the neck: 17 mm.Condition: Perfect conditionProvenance: American private collectionLiterature comparison: IMPORTANT CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM THE J & J COLLECTION. Christies, New York, March 30th, 2005, lot 5. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. Sothebys, New York, March 31st, 2005, lot 361. Snuff Bottles from the Mary & George Bloch Collection: Part IX. Sothebys, Hong Kong, November 24th, 2014, lot 178. (for related bottles, all with the ‘dragon and phoenix’ subject in ruby-red overlay on white glass) The Power of Red. Ruby Red to a lighter Shade of Pale. A Collectors Guide to Qing Dynasty Glass Snuff Bottles of the 18th-19th Centuries. J.W.A, International, Christopher Randall. (for a comprehensive overview on ruby-red glass snuff bottles)乾隆年間寶石紅套白料“龍鳳”鼻烟壺品相完美美國私人收藏