Ruby-colored hardstone, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, turquoise snuff bottles

Two snuff bottles. photo Bonhams

The first a ruby-colored hardstone snuff bottle, carved as a melon with leaves and crickets, the jade stem-form stopper with gilt metal ribbed collar; the second a lapis lazuli snuff bottle of gourd shape with leafy foliage, with coral stopper. 1 3/4 and 1 1/2in (4.4 and 4.2cm) Sold for $4,880

Illustrated: Hidden Treasures of the Dragon (1991), cat. no. 140

An aquamarine snuff bottle. photo Bonhams

Of flattened rectangular form, with a flat mouth rim, oval mouth and oval foot rim, carved with a scholar seated in a summer garden holding a fan, with a pink tourmaline stopper and vinyl collar. 2 1/4in (5.6cm) Sold for $4,270

An aquamarine snuff bottle, 19th Century. photo Bonhams

Of slender elongated form, with a flat mouth, oval foot rim and recessed base, the translucent light blue body carved into a continuous landscape with a figure about to enter into a gated cave amidst a cliff, waterfalls and pavilions, with conforming stopper and vinyl collar. 2 in (5 cm) Sold for $3,660

Provenance: Purchased P. Kaufman, June 1990

Illustrated: Hidden Treasures of the Dragon (1991), cat. no 92

Exhibited: Gallery of New South Wales,
Sydney, Australia December 1991

Two snuff bottles. photo Bonhams

The first 19th Century, of compressed ovoid form and simulating sharkskin, the coral stopper surmounted with turquoise finial, with vinyl collar; the second, first half of 20th Century, a turquoise bottle of flattened spade form, with flat mouth and recessed oval foot rim, the coral stopper surmounted with a glass finial and vinyl collar. 1 3/4 in (4.5cm); 1 3/4 in (4.4cm) Sold for $1,342

Provenance: The first:
Eldreds, purchased August, 2006
Ex-collection Alice McReynolds

The second:
Ted Adameck, purchased August, 1992

Bonhams. Fine Asian Works of Art, 22 Jun 2010. 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco www.bonhams.com