A PALE CELADON JADE SNUFF BOTTLE CARVED WITH A POEM, MID-QING China, 18^th to early 19^th century. Well-polished and hollowed, keeping the natural shape of the pebble, one end polished to create a flat foot, the opaque celadon stone with russet inclusions and veins. One side carved with a scholar holding a staff attended by a small boy, all beneath a pine tree.

Inscription: The reverse with a poem in relief ‘Somewhere in the mountain you were for certain, uncertain was where among the deep cloud cover you were’.

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 minor wear, microscopic nibbling to mouth, the stone with natural fissures.

Stopper: Coral imitation with platelet and old spoon
Weight: 85.3 g
Dimensions: Height including stopper 68 mm. Diameter mouth 5 mm.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related pebble snuff bottle of similar form and size, also with a carved poem, at Christie’s New York in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 20 September 2005, lot 481, sold for USD 12,000.

明代中期青白玉《尋隱者不遇》鼻烟壺
中國，十八至十九世紀初。掏膛良好，保留了天然的山子形狀，巧妙利用不透明的青白色夾雜赤褐色絮狀物和紋理，雕刻松下詩僧賈島上山尋訪隱者，巧遇其童子，詢問其蹤影的場景。另一面雕刻《尋隱者不遇》的詩句。

款識：師問：只在此山中，雲深不知處。天局

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，壺嘴有輕微磕損，石料有天然裂痕。

壺蓋: 仿珊瑚，托片，舊時小勺
重量: 85.3 克
尺寸: 含蓋高 68 毫米，唇部直徑5 毫米

拍賣結果比較: 比較一件相近的詩文山子鼻烟壺，相似尺寸和形狀，見紐約佳士得 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2005年9月20日, lot 481, 售價USD 12,000。