A MINIATURE INTERIOR-PAINTED ROCK CRYSTAL SNUFF BOTTLE, BY TIAN CHENG China, 1936. Of tear-drop shape, depicting a continuous scene of neatly painted ‘celestial eye’ goldfish amid aquatic plants, both sides with a text and red mark describing the painting, signed Tian Cheng. The stone with distinct natural inclusions, reminiscent of black algae, which the artist has carefully integrated into his magnificent underwater scene.

Inscriptions: One side inscribed with ‘by Tian Cheng’, the reverse with ‘in the Year of Bingzi (1936)’.

Provenance: From a UK private collection, Hertfordshire, by repute acquired from Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd around the year 2000, and thence by descent in the same family. Robert Kleiner (1948-2014) was an important expert on and dealer of Chinese snuff bottles, beginning his long career at Sotheby’s Chinese Art department in London. Along with Hugh Moss and Bob Hall, Robert Kleiner became a key advisor to the Mary and George Bloch collection, and it was Robert who wrote and produced the very first catalog of their bottles.
Condition: Very good condition with little wear, and some nibbling to the mouth.

Stopper: Turquoise stopper
Weight: 35 g
Dimensions: Height including stopper 68 mm. Diameter mouth 6 mm.

Celestial eye goldfish or Choutengan is a double-tailed breed of fancy goldfish that has a defining pair of telescope eyes which are turned upwards, pupils gazing skyward. Celestial eye goldfish in a pond were a popular motif during the Qing dynasty.

天澄款水晶内畫微型鼻烟壺
中國，1936年。淚珠狀水晶，内畫描繪水草間嬉戲的金魚。石料具有獨特的天然內含物，猶如黑色水藻，藝術家將其精心融入到他描繪的水下場景。

款識: 天澄，丙子年 (1936)

來源：英國赫爾福特郡私人收藏，據説在2000年前後購於Robert Kleiner & Co. Ltd., 在同一家族保存至今。Robert Kleiner是一位重要的中國鼻煙壺專家和經銷商，起初，他在倫敦蘇富比中國藝術部工作，與 Hugh Moss 和 Bob Hall 一起，Robert Kleiner 成為 Mary 和 George Bloch 收藏的重要顧問，他編寫並製作了他們的第一個鼻烟壺目錄。
品相: 狀況良好，輕微磨損，壺嘴邊緣有磕損。

壺蓋: 綠松石
重量: 35 克
尺寸: 含蓋高 68 毫米，唇部直徑6 毫米