The Ruth and Carl Barron Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles, Imperial Palace Workshops Beijing

Part I

Christie's New York

10 A.M., September 16, 2015

Sale 11785

Lot 288, rare and finely carved white and blue overlay white glass snuff bottle, possibly Palace workshops, Beijing, 1760-1790, 3 1/4 inches high

By Carter B. Horsley

Carl Barron (1916-2014) started a furniture leasing business in1938 after seeing the difficulty his classmates at the Harvard Business School had in furnishing short-term apartments.  He and his wife, Ruth (1916-2001) founded faculty chairs at Bowdoin and Cambridge colleges and created the Barron Center for Men's Health at Mount Auburn Hospital and funded prostate cancer checks for all the police and firemen in Cambridge.  

Lot 288 is a rare and finely carved white and blue overlay white glass snuff bottle, possibly Palace workshops in Beijing, 1760-1790.  It is 3 1/4 inches high.  The carving depicts a scholar riding a donkey crossing a bridge accompanied by a servant carrying a vase holding a prunus branch.  The rider may be Meng Haoren, a poet.  The lot has an estimate of $16,000 to $20,000.  It sold for $37,500 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

The sale total was $1,253,438 with 98 percent of the offered lots selling.

Lot 248, a rare five-color overlay pink glass snuff bottle, Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1750-1850

Lot 248 is a rare five-color overlay pink glass snuff bottle, Imperial from the Palace Workshops in Beijing, 1750-1850.  It is 2 7/8 inches high.  It has an estimate of $18,000 to $22,000.  It sold for $68.750.

Lot 247, two-toned pink tourmaline snuff bottle, 1880-1950, 2 1/4 inches high

Lot 247 is an unusual and lovely pink tourmaline snuff bottle from 1880-1950.  It is 2 1/4 inches high.  It has a modest estimate of $8,000 to $10,000. It sold for $37,500.

Lot 330, a five-color overlay white glass snuff bottle, probably Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1760-1830, 3 inches high

Lot 330 is a nice five-color overlay white glass snuff bottle, probably Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1760-1830.  It is 3 inches high.  It has an estimate of $6,000 to $8,000.  It sold for $7,500.

    

Lot 255, "Four-color overlay clear glass snuff bottle," Imperial, Palace Workshops. Beijing, 1760-1820, 2 3/8 inches high

Lot 255 is a very nice four-color overlay clear glass snuff buttle, Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1760-1820.  It is 2 3/8 inches high.  It has an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000.  It sold for $6,000.

Lot 289, Red overlay white glass double-gourd snuff bottle, 1750-1850, 2 1/2 inches high

Lot 289 is a lovely red overlay white glass double-gourd snuff botte, 1750-1850.  It is 2 1/2 inches high.  It has an estimate of $1,800 to $2,400.  It sold for $16,250.

Lot 264, a "Sandwiched pink glass lotus snuff bottle, Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1740-1800, 3 inches high

Lot 264 is a "sandwiched" pink glass lotus snuff bottle, Imperial, Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1740-1800.  It is 3 inches tall.  It has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000.  It sold for $18,750.

Lot 289, one of a pair of "realgar" snuff bottles, 1700-1800, 2 5/8 inches high

Lot 289 is a pair of "realgar" snuff bottles from 1700-1800.  The one illustrated is 2 5/8 inches high.  The lot has an estimate of $2,500 to $3,5000.  It sold for $4,000.

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See The City Review article on the Hildegard Schonfeld Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles at Christie's March 21, 2013

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