A RETICULATED SOAPSTONE SNUFF BOTTLE, 18TH-19TH CENTURY China. Of flattened gourd form, intricately carved with openwork, resting on a silver plate, with a silver neck. The main sides with an openwork diaper pattern, the neck flanked by two phoenix handles with ruyi clouds. The matching stopper, carved in openwork with two Buddhist lions, is screwed into the neck.

Provenance: From the Peter and Patricia Crofts Collection. Peter Crofts (1924-2001) was a Fleet Air Army volunteer, sailor, and member of the British Antique Dealers Association. Peter and his wife Patricia were keen collectors of antiques. In 1948 Peter met Major Bernard Edinburgh of Stamford, a well-known and knowledgeable antique dealer who encouraged him to set up and trade himself.
Condition: Good condition with some wear, light surface scratches, minor losses, and minuscule nicks to the silver fittings. The soapstone with a small, pierced hole below the phoenix handle. The silver fittings are later additions, probably commissioned in the United Kingdom around 1900.

Stopper: Soapstone stopper with silver mounting
Weight: 20 g
Dimensions: Height including stopper 54 mm. Diameter neck 10 mm and mouth 6 mm.

This type of bottle may also have been used as a scent bottle or pomander.

Literature comparison: See a related example of a soapstone snuff bottle with similar pierced openwork in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, accession number C.1719-1910.

Auction result comparison: Compare a reticulated soapstone snuff bottle, at Sotheby’s New York in The Joe Grimberg Collection Of Chinese Snuff Bottles on 14 September 2010, lot 54, sold for USD 10,000. Compare also a related reticulated soapstone snuff bottle, dated 1750-1850, at Bonhams New York in Chinese Art from the Scholar's Studio on 17 March 2014, lot 8066, sold for USD 5,000.

十八至十九世紀鏤空雕刻皂石鼻烟壺
中國。扁葫蘆形，精雕細刻，頸部包銀。正面有錦地鏤空，頸部兩側飾有如意雲紋鳳凰耳。配套的壺蓋採用鏤空雕刻兩隻太獅，旋入頸部。

來源：Peter 與 Patricia Crofts 收藏。Peter Crofts (1924-2001) 是一名艦隊航空軍志願者、水手和英國古董商協會的成員。 Peter和他的妻子Patricia熱衷於收藏古董。1948 年，Peter遇到了斯坦福德的Bernard Edinburgh少校，他是一位知名且知識淵博的古董商，他鼓勵Peter自己創業和經營。
品相：狀況良好，表面有一些磨損和劃痕、輕微的缺損失，包銀處有微小刻痕。鳳凰耳下方有一個穿孔。銀配件是後來添加的，可能是在 1900 年左右在英國製造的。

壺蓋：皂石包銀
重量：20 克
尺寸：含壺蓋高54 毫米. 頸部直徑10 毫米，唇部直徑6 毫米.

拍賣結果比較：比較一件皂石鼻烟壺，見紐約蘇富比The Joe Grimberg Collection Of Chinese Snuff Bottles 2010年9月14日 lot 54, 售價USD 10,000；比較一件1750-1850年皂石鼻烟壺，見紐約邦翰思Chinese Art from the Scholar's Studio 2014年3月17日 lot 8066, 售價USD 5,000。