A carved Chinese red coral snuff bottle as a reclining lady, 18/19th C.

The snuff bottled modelled as a reclining lady, her extended foot serving as stopper. A very popular subject and a rare type of snuff bottle. Other examples of reclining lady snuff bottles are known, but as far as we are aware this is the first emerging subject in coral. This model, despite its apparent innocence to the Western eye, would probably have been considered by the Chinese erotic. The bound feet of women in pre-modern China were considered erotic, because they were specific to women, embodied feminine charm and beauty, and were practically never seen. Size: 12,2 x 4,5 cm Weight: 128 grams See for example: Sotheby's, The Joe Grimberg Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 14 Sep. 10, NY (USD 60,000)

Price incl. premium: € 5.355