Yellow jade bottle, 18th-19th century (est. $3000-5000, Bonhams)
Asia Week is in full swing in New York City, and galleries and auction houses are chalk-a-block with Japanese, Chinese and Korean art, including some of the finest antique gold, jade carvings and ornament – all for sale to the highest bidders.
For those who can’t be there to admire these treasures at the pre-sale viewings, here’s a taste. Charming snuff bottles from the collection of Margaret Polak go on sale at Bonhams tomorrow, including this classic beauty of yellow jade with the figure of an official sitting under a pine tree carved into the raised, golden-brown layer of skin. The reverse is carved with a rock and waves, and the stopper is coral with a malachite collar.
19th-century pudding stone snuff bottle ($2000-3000, Bonhams)
Here’s a more flamboyant 19th-century take on the snuff theme. Maybe not with the same level of craftsmanship, but how fun – kind of the crazy polka-dot version. It’s carved from pudding stone, with a pearl atop its coral stopper.
And finally (below), a wallop of brilliant color for our winter-weary eyes, a yellow glass bottle from the Qianlong Period, carved with a mallow flower and topped with a glass coral stopper with turquoise collar.
Carved glass snuff bottle (est. $3000-5000, Bonhams)
Bonhams sale starts at 3 pm tomorrow, with viewings until 8 pm today and 10-3pm tomorrow.
Wednesday: a peek at some ancient gold and jade from Arthur M. Sackler’s world-class collections, selling at Chrstie’s on Thursday.
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