A very fine white jade 'wrapped qin' snuff bottle


18th/19th centuryOf flattened baluster form with a waisted neck, rising from a concave oval foot, carved in low relief with the front of a musical instrument qin on one side and the back of the qin on the reverse, covered by a brocade sash tied at each side, the brocade meticulously incised with a triangle-diaper pattern framed by a leiwen border, the stone of an even white tone, stopper. 6.4cm (2 1/2in) high. (2).
|十八/十九世紀 白玉雕包袱紋鼻煙壺Provenance:Christie's Hong Kong, 2 May 1995, lot 1360A distinguished Asian private collection來源：香港佳士得，1995年5月2日，拍品編號1360亞洲顯赫私人收藏The symbolism of the tied brocade has two known meanings. Traditionally, favourite objects were wrapped in brocade cloths as gifts to be distributed by the Court. This type of cloth, known as fu, forms a pun for fu 福, meaning good fortune and happiness. Furthermore, the sash, shoudai 綬帶, symbolises longevity. For related examples of white jade 'wrapped qin' snuff bottles, 18th/19th century, see one from the Mary and George Bloch collection, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 26 May 2014, lot 1008; and another which was sold at Bonhams New York, 20 March 2012, lot 10.綬帶的設計在宮中是用來包裝名貴物品作呈獻之用。包袱布與「福」同音，綬帶則寓意長壽，因此本壺之紋飾有著福壽雙全的美好祝愿。瑪麗及莊智博夫婦舊藏舊藏一件十八/十九世紀白玉包袱紋鼻煙壺可資參考，後售於香港蘇富比，2014年5月26日，拍品編號1008；另見包袱紋鼻煙壺一例，售於紐約邦瀚斯，2012年3月20日，拍品編號10。