† A PAIR OF ‘CANTON TRIBUTE’ GILT-COPPER AND AVENTURINE GLASS SNUFF BOXES, QIANLONG PERIOD

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† A PAIR OF ‘CANTON TRIBUTE’ GILT-COPPER AND AVENTURINE GLASS SNUFF BOXES, QIANLONG PERIOD Expert’s note The present object belongs to a group of ornate gilt-metal objects embellished with colored glass-paste stones, that attracted the attention of the Qianlong emperor, and which were commissioned for the Imperial palace or as novelty items sent as tribute to the Qing court. The elongated octagonal shape is typically seen among European metal boxes, and the Canton artisans quickly adopted this shape in the tributes made for the imperial court, including a silver filigree box of the same shape and decorated with colored stones and enamels, from the Beijing Palace Museum, included in the exhibition Treasures from Guangdong: Exhibition of Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Guangdong Museum, 2005. China, 1736-1795. Each box of octagonal form, set to the sides and cover with conforming aventurine glass plaques framed by seed pearls and ruby-red glass inlays, the base neatly incised with an oval medallion centered by a blossom and framed by further foliage in a border of semi-circles. (2) Dimensions: Size 6 x 4.3 x 3.1 cm (each) With a padded storage box. (3) Aventurine glass was invented by the Venetian glass makers of Murano, and was made by dissolving copper particles into molten glass. It was introduced to China during the Kangxi reign and immediately caught the imagination of the Qing court. Moss, Graham, and Tsang illustrate an aventurine glass snuff bottle from the J & J collection and discuss in detail the introduction from Venice to Beijing and subsequent use of this material in The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, the J&J Collection, volume II, New York, pages 572 and 573. They write that 'Yang Boda has recorded that in the fifth year of the Qianlong period (1740), two Jesuits joined the Court at Beijing to assist Pierre D'Incarville and Gabriel-Leonard de Broussard in the glass-making, and that in the following year (1741) they produced aventurine glass’ (Yang Boda, A Brief Account of Qing Dynasty Glass, Chinese Glass of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911, The Robert H. Clague Collection, page 79). These boxes reflect the superb workmanship of Canton artisans of the period and are representative of the novelty items treasured by imperial members of the Qing court. The surge of consumerism in the 17th and 18th centuries following the expansion of urbanization and commercial activities in the coastal cities led to a burgeoning demand for luxury items and foreign curiosities all over the empire. This gave rise to a flourishing metalwork industry in Canton area. Guangzhou (or Canton), with the establishment of the ‘Thirteen Hongs’ in the Kangxi period, became the exclusive port for foreign trade in the 18th century, as well as the main source of foreign imports for the imperial court in Beijing. Artisans in the area were exposed to a wide array of European products including luxury items and artworks in various materials, bringing about a distinct Canton style in works of art, well reflected in the current pair of boxes which embraces both European and Chinese decorative elements. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related octagonal copper snuff box with similar aventurine glass inlay, dated Qianlong period, 5.5 cm long, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, object number 故銅000452N000000000. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3114 Price: HKD 2,000,000 or approx. EUR 250,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and design with similar seed pearl and red glass inlays, and chased details to the base. Note the size (8.3 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Relevant for scholarly comparison Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 20 May 2025, lot 3412 Price: HKD 533,400 or approx. EUR 59,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the similar material. Note the size (9.6 cm), different form, and Qianlong reign marks. 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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