A fine and rare hardstone-mounted gilt-bronze 'auspicious peaches and bats' snuff box and cover


QianlongThe oval container lavishly gilt, the cover set with five bats in flight amidst wispy clouds ready to feed on a pair of succulent peaches issuing from leafy stems, the finely-worked inlaid subjects created from lapis lazuli, jadeite, rock crystal and other materials, the sides relief-decorated with dense foliate scrolls issuing from flower sprays dividing four barbed cartouches, the cover interior set with a mirror, fitted box. 8.5cm (3 3/8in) wide (2).
|清乾隆 銅鎏金嵌寶五蝠捧壽鼻煙盒A box (he 盒) which is homophonous with 'harmony' (he 和) and five bats (wufu 五蝠) which is a pun for 'five blessings' (wufu 五福) form a rebus for 'harmony and five blessings (longevity, wealth, health, love and peaceful death)'. Such auspicious and elaborately decorated boxes were popular gifts exchanged at the Imperial Court in Beijing. A similar hardstone-mounted 'peaches and bats' gold box and cover, is illustrated in Treasures of Imperial Court: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 1995, pl.194.Compare with a very similar 'five bats and peaches' gilt-bronze snuff box and cover, Qianlong, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2013, lot 18.