A RETICULATED TURQUOISE-GLAZED ‘DRAGON & PHOENIX’ PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLEMolded and carved porcelain with a reticulated layer in high relief above an inner bottle, which itself is carved with a pattern of vertical parallel lines, the outer layer covered with transparent monochrome turquoise glaze. China, Daoguang seal mark and of the periodThe pierced decoration featuring a dragon and a phoenix chasing after the flaming pearl amidst billowing clouds and above symmetrically aligned waves, all beneath two bands of meander scrolls and ruyi-heads at the neck, the base carved with the four-character seal mark. It is believed that such carved porcelain snuff bottles may have been inspired by their imperial ivory counterparts. Monochrome glazes of varying colors were used to imitate raw materials such as cinnabar lacquer, lapis lazuli and turquoise. However, early examples of ceramic bottles imitating turquoise are dated to the Qianlong period and are usually subtly enameled with black lines. Although molded porcelain bottles in monochrome colors with dragon and phoenix design were prevalent during the Jiaqing period, Daoguang mark and period examples are rare. The motif of a dragon and a phoenix, symbolizing emperor and empress, presents the happy wish for conjugal bliss longfeng chengxiang. Objects with this image, such as the present bottle, were highly appropriate wedding gifts.Shape: Bulbous ovoid formHollowing: StandardMouth, neck and lip: Cylindric elongated neck with sprawling, raised and slated lip, the top with remains of gilding, small cylindric mouthBase: Oval glazed base with sharply raised, unglazed foot rimStopper: Coral cabochon on yellow plateletHeight of the bottle with stopper: 6.7 cm.Width of the mouth: 6 mm.Width of the neck: 15 mm.Condition: PerfectProvenance: American private collectionLiterature comparison: FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART. Bonhams, Hong Kong, December 3rd, 2015, lot 23. A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary and George Bloch Collection, Vol. 6, Arts of the Fire, H. Moss, V. Graham and K. B. Tsang, Hong Kong, 2008, pp.460-463, nos.1206 and 1207. The Paul Braga collection, Bonhams, Hong Kong, November 24th, 2012, lot 39. (all for related bottles)道光款及年代鏤空青綠色釉“龍鳳戲珠”鼻烟壺品相完好美國私人收藏