A very fine embellished gilt-bronze, jadeite and glass oblong octagonal cage-mounted snuff box and cover, Qianlong, circa 1750. Photo courtesy Bonhams.
The exquisitely extravagant box set with a dark green jadeite plaque on all eight sideswithin gilt frames, the panel on top made of semi-translucent emerald green glass, the cover inset with seed pearls and angled pink embellishments at the borders simulating flower petals, the sides decorated with alternating pink and white embellishments, the base and interior gilt and with a fine central floral medallion surrounded by scrolling leafy vines bound at the stem. 7.5cm wide; 6.5cm deep; 4.5cm high. Estimate HK$ 600,000 - 800,000 (€57,000 - 77,000).
Jadeite was a very expensive and rare commodity in the 18th century, before Emperor Qianlong's military campaign in the 1770s opened direct access to the jadeite sources in Burma. Examples of 18th century jadeite in the Court collections are often of small size, such as the thinly-carved panels incorporated into this cage-mounted box where the main metal ribs of the box are intended to protect the fragile jadeite panels from stress and impact damage. For a small circular jadeite box and cover, using the same highly-mottled stone, see Treasures of Imperial Court: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, no.195. For a smaller and less impressive example set with a green agate top, see the silver example illustrated by John Devereux Kernan, The Chait Collection of Chinese Export Silver, New York, 1975, no.253.
Bonhams. THE SPEELMAN COLLECTION OF CHINESE 'IMPERIAL TRIBUTE' SNUFF BOXES. Hong Kong. 24 Nov 2013 13:00 CST - http://www.bonhams.com/