A GLASS OVERLAY SNUFF BOTTLE QING1800-1860. The transparent olive-green overlay carved through to the café-au-lait opaque body to depict nine ding tripod vessels, two of which are found on the shoulders. Note the fine incision work.Provenance: Hungarian private collection.Condition: Perfect condition with minor wear.Stopper: Rose quartz stopper with a miniature green glass bead on top and old spoon.Weight: 43.2 grams.Dimensions: Height including stopper 70 mm. Diameter neck 15 mm and mouth 6 mm.The Nine Tripods appear in two early Chinese classics. Tradition has it that the legendary Emperor Yu received tribute of metal from the Nine Provinces of his Kingdom and had them cast into nine bronze vessels. According to the Zuo Zhuan, the bronze vessels were decorated with all the objects of nature so that people might know the gods and evil spirits. The Shi Ji, however, says that they were decorated with maps of the Nine Provinces with records of population and property. They were said to have been made in 2202 BC and were carried off to the new capital, Le, in 1122 by the founder of the Zhou dynasty (see The Encyclopaedia Sinica). They symbolize legitimacy of rule.清套料鼻烟壺 1800-1860。透明橄欖綠套料浮雕九座鼎，其中兩座在肩部，非常精緻。底料紅棕色不透明。來源：匈牙利私人收藏品相：完美輕微磨損瓶蓋：玫瑰石英蓋上綠玻璃頂珠，老杓重量：43.2 克尺寸：含蓋總高70 毫米；頸部直徑15 毫米；嘴 6 毫米