拍品专文
This appears to the only example published of the Guyuexuan moulded and enamelled group which depicts a cat rather than the ubiquitous bird.
For an example from the same workshop depicting phoenix amongst flowers and rockwork, see Sotheby's, Hong Kong, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Eric Young, Part IV, October 28, 1993, lot 1268; and another depicting magpies sold, Christie's, New York, November 27, 1991, lot 102, is illustrated by Humphrey K.F. Hui and Christopher C.H. Sin, An Imperial Qing Tradition, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 145, p. 178. Other examples depicting a pheasant, quail, crane and a continuous design of lotus, are illustrated by Hugh M. Moss, Chinese Snuff Bottles From the Collection of the Rt. Hon. The Marquess of Exeter, K.C.M.G., London, 1974, pp. 99-101, pls. E.1-3, E.5 and E.8.
For an un-moulded Guyuexuan-marked enamelled bottle depicting a similar subject but more crudely painted, see Sotheby's, Hong Kong, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Kaynes-Klitz Collection, Part II, October 30, 1990, lot 57.
See Robert W.L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 92, fig. 29, for a yangzhou seal school bottle depicting a cat watching butterflies where the author states that the word for 'cat' and 'octogenarian', mao, are phonetically close, and that the rebus expresses the wish that the recipient should live to be seventy or eighty (butterflies symbolize the numeral seventy).
For further discussion on this group of wares, see Hugh M. Moss, Enamelled Glass Wares of the Gu Yüen Hsüan Group, I.C.S.B.S., Journal, June 1978, and Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinse Snuff Bottle, The J & J. Collection, Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 341-351
For an example from the same workshop depicting phoenix amongst flowers and rockwork, see Sotheby's, Hong Kong, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Eric Young, Part IV, October 28, 1993, lot 1268; and another depicting magpies sold, Christie's, New York, November 27, 1991, lot 102, is illustrated by Humphrey K.F. Hui and Christopher C.H. Sin, An Imperial Qing Tradition, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 145, p. 178. Other examples depicting a pheasant, quail, crane and a continuous design of lotus, are illustrated by Hugh M. Moss, Chinese Snuff Bottles From the Collection of the Rt. Hon. The Marquess of Exeter, K.C.M.G., London, 1974, pp. 99-101, pls. E.1-3, E.5 and E.8.
For an un-moulded Guyuexuan-marked enamelled bottle depicting a similar subject but more crudely painted, see Sotheby's, Hong Kong, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Kaynes-Klitz Collection, Part II, October 30, 1990, lot 57.
See Robert W.L. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of Mary and George Bloch, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 92, fig. 29, for a yangzhou seal school bottle depicting a cat watching butterflies where the author states that the word for 'cat' and 'octogenarian', mao, are phonetically close, and that the rebus expresses the wish that the recipient should live to be seventy or eighty (butterflies symbolize the numeral seventy).
For further discussion on this group of wares, see Hugh M. Moss, Enamelled Glass Wares of the Gu Yüen Hsüan Group, I.C.S.B.S., Journal, June 1978, and Hugh Moss, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang, The Art of the Chinse Snuff Bottle, The J & J. Collection, Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 341-351