AN INSIDE-PAINTED GLASS SNUFF BOTTLEMa Shaoxuan Signed and dated gengzi year, corresponding to 1900 Painted on one main face with an ancient bronze vessel, flowers, a pierced rock, a crackled-ware jar and a teapot, the other face with a well-written thirty-two character inscription preceded by the date and followed by the signature and seal Shaoxuan ; stopper. 2 1/4in (5.6cm) high 庚子年(1900） 馬少宣 玻璃内畫清供圖配詩文鼻烟壺 Provenance: Robert Kleiner, 18 December 2001 Exhibited: International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society Convention, New York, 5-9 November 2013, no. 89 The subject of auspicious objects in groupings of mossy rockwork, bronze and ceramic vessels and jardinières, was a popular one in early inside painted bottles, particularly those painted by Zhou Leyuan and Ye Zhongsan, see Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Mary and George Bloch Collection , Vol 4, Part 1, pp. 98-100, no. 467, for the former, and pp. 216-218, no. 515, for the latter. However, amongst Ma's work, it is extremely rare to find this subject matter, as he preferred figural subjects for the most part.