A CAMEO AGATE ‘ZHONG KUI’ SNUFF BOTTLE, OFFICIAL SCHOOL, CHINA, 1770-1840
Of rounded square form, well hollowed, the honey-brown stone finely carved in relief utilizing darker markings to depict Zhong Kui dancing on a scrolling cloud with a demon and a bat flying above. The reverse is similarly carved with a fisherman beneath a single cloud, hauling in a carp.


Provenance:
Collection of Bernard Wald. Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., London, United Kingdom, 2006. A private collection in the United Kingdom, acquired from the above. The base with an old collector’s label, ‘RR 853 29.’ A copy of the invoice from Belfont Company Ltd., dated 7 September 2006, describing the present lot as a chalcedony snuff bottle, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price for the present lot of GBP 5,500 or approx.
EUR 12,500
(converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Although little is known of the collector Bernie Wald, his collection of Chinese snuff bottles was quite prominent. He was an associate of noted experts such as Robert Kleiner, Robert Hall, and Hugh Moss, and bottles from his extensive collection, which he built together with his wife Francine, continue to appear at auction houses including Christie’s and Sotheby’s. The couple also wrote articles for the International Chinese Snuff Bottle Society. Robert Kleiner (1948-2014) was an important expert of Chinese snuff bottles, beginning his long career at Sotheby’s in London. Along with Hugh Moss and Bob Hall, he became a key advisor to the Mary and George Bloch collection, and it was Robert who wrote and produced the very first catalog of their bottles.

Condition:
Excellent condition with only minor old wear and a microscopic nick to the lip.

Stopper: Coral
Weight: 72.9 g
Dimensions: Height 73 mm, Diameter neck 20 mm and mouth 7mm


According to folklore
, Zhong Kui took part in the state-wide imperial examinations held in the capital city. Though he attained great academic success and top honors in the state exams, his rightful title of ‘Zhuangyuan’ (top-scorer) was stripped of him by the Emperor because of his disfigured and ugly appearance. In anger and fury, Zhong Kui committed suicide by hurling himself against the palace gates until his head was broken, whereupon Du Ping, his friend, had him laid to rest. During the divine judgment after his death from suicide, Yanluo Wang (the Chinese Underworld Judge) saw much potential in Zhong Kui, intelligent and smart enough to score top honors in the Imperial examinations but condemned to the capital of hell because of the strong grievance. Yama thus gave him the title of the King of Ghosts and tasked him to hunt, capture, take charge of and maintain discipline and order among demons and ghosts.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 March 2012, lot 1600
Price: USD 56,250 or approx.
EUR 68,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large finely carved cameo agate snuff bottle, official school 1770-1880
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of carving, similarly utilizing the shadings of the stone in the depiction, and subject of Zhong Kui on one side and a fisherman on the other. Note the size (79 mm).




1770-1840年瑪瑙鍾馗鼻煙壺

平口，直頸，溜肩，圈足。蜜棕色的石頭上有精美德浮雕，利用顔色描繪了鍾馗鎮鬼和一隻蝙蝠。 背面雕刻著一位漁夫捕魚。


來源：
Bernard Wald 私人收藏；Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd.，英國倫敦，2006年；英國私人收藏，購自上述機藝廊。隨附 Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd. 於 2006 年 9 月 7 日開具的原始發票副本，描述爲玉髓鼻煙壺，並確認斷代，註明購買價格為 5,500 英鎊或約 12,500 英鎊（在撰寫本文時已根據通貨膨脹進行換算和調整）。儘管收藏家Bernie Wald 鮮為人知，但他收藏的中國鼻煙壺卻相當出名。他是Robert Kleiner、Robert Hall 和Hugh Moss 等著名專家的同事，他與妻子Francine 共同收藏的大量鼻煙壺在佳士得和蘇富比等拍賣行。這對夫婦還為國際中國鼻煙壺協會撰寫文章。Robert Kleiner（1948-2014）是一位重要的中國鼻煙壺專家，他在倫敦蘇富比中國藝術部門度過漫長的職業生涯。他與Hugh Moss和Bob Hall一起成為Mary 與 George Bloch收藏的重要顧問，Robert撰寫並製作了他們的第一個鼻煙壺目錄。

品相：
狀況良好，只有輕微的磨損和唇緣上的微小刻痕。

壺蓋：珊瑚
重量：72.9 克
尺寸：高 73 毫米, 頸部直徑20毫米，壺口直徑7毫米


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2013年5月26日，lot 103
價格：HKD 250,000（相當於今日
EUR 37,000
）
描述：清1770-1860年瑪瑙巧雕鍾馗圖鼻煙壺
專家評論：比較相近的石色和雕刻風格 。請注意此鼻煙壺可能是仿巧雕大師。