A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL ‘SMILING CRICKET’ SNUFF BOTTLE, 1780-1850 China. Of compressed globular form, rising from an oval foot with gilt ring towards a straight cylindrical neck, with cloisonné enamel work depicting a cricket on yellow ground to each face, the narrow sides with scrolling floral motifs.

Provenance: From an English private collection.
Condition: Good condition with nibbling, light surface scratches to lip and base, loss to gilt, a nick to the grasshopper’s leg, and a chip to the stopper. Firing flaws such as pitting.

Stopper: Probably matching Cloisonné stopper with gilt-metal mounting, metal spoon
Weight: 112.5 g
Dimensions: Height including stopper 80 mm. Diameter neck 11 mm and mouth 6 mm.

The appearance of grasshoppers or katydids became a popular subject matter for decorations on snuff bottles during the late Qianlong period, mostly seen on the enameled-glass wares which bear guyuexuan marks. However, it was during the Daoguang period when the design permeated into the Imperial court as a favored subject. The popularity of the design is also considered a by-product of the fashion for selecting and breeding the finest fighting crickets in the Daoguang period.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related cloisonné enamel ‘double bat’ snuff bottle, dated to the 18^th century, sold in these rooms in Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism & Hinduism on 5 March 2021, lot 405, sold for EUR 3,792.

1780-1850年掐絲琺琅開光蟋蟀紋鼻烟壺
中國。扁圓形，圓柱直頸，橢圓形鎏金圈足。掐絲琺琅，頸部修飾如意紋，開光内黃地蟋蟀紋，外圍藍地卷葉紋。

來源：英國私人收藏
品相：狀況良好，有磕損，唇部和底座有輕微的表面劃痕，鎏金缺損，蟋蟀腿上有一個缺口，壺蓋上有一個缺口、點蝕等燒製瑕疵。

壺蓋：應該相配的掐絲琺琅壺蓋鎏金底座、金屬勺子相匹配
重量：112,5 克
尺寸：含壺蓋高80 毫米；頸部直徑11 毫米，唇部直徑6 毫米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件十八世紀相近掐絲琺琅雙福鼻烟壺，售於本藝廊 Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism & Hinduism 2021年3月5日 lot 405, 售價EUR 3,792。