The “Irish cream” colored stone is moderately hollowed in the late 19th century manner and deftly carved on the exterior to make clever use of the icy and butterscotch-colored inclusions within the matrix of the stone. The motif, which makes full use of the bottles outer surface much in the style of the famous Suzhou bottles, combines various cutting techniques. One side depicts a lone pine with very highly detailed pine-needle clusters, and an intricately carved trunk which twists and undulates as it extends upwards from the base of the bottle. The tree extends from the slightly depressed central panel and is framed by rocky outcroppings on two sides; both of which were carved by the artist with multiple levels of relief which add to the depth of the image. Above the lone gnarled pine sits a undulating cloud which extends around the side of the bottle and stops above a monkey perched on a rock holding a peach. This figure, which has been carved with the same level of skill and detail as the lone pine, reveals detailed fur and an extremely human like face in reference to the mythical figure Sun Wukong (The Monkey King) best known from the 16th century Chinese classic Journey to the West. This face of the bottle also features a large boulder, the top portion of which is colored not only by the same amber colored inclusions found on the other side, but also the sole icy-crystal inclusion in the material which lends added character to the image. A second, smaller pine extends out from the side of this rock.
This bottle provides many of the same qualities and ingenious use of material that make Suzhou bottles so desirable, but at a fraction of the Suzhou/School of Zhiting price (see comparable sale). Comes with a weighted stopper, featuring a brass collar and coral cabochon, (likely) original to the bottle.
Sun Wukong (The Monkey King) was birthed from a stone and after years of trial and tribulations made it to heaven with the other Chinese deities and the Jade Emperor, where he was assigned the (lowly) duty of protecting the Jade Emperor’s horses. After he was not invited to a party for the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu), Sun Wukong became terribly upset and ate all the magical peaches that grew in the Queen Mother’s Garden in retribution for the perceived slight. The Jade Emperor tried to defeat the Monkey King in retribution for this act but failed so he called upon Buddha to intervene. As a result, the Monkey King was encased within/under a mountain so that he could reflect on his wrong doings until he was freed after 500 years by Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, to help protect a pilgrim on his journey west in pursuit of the sutras. During this time Sun Wukong learned the teachings of the Buddha and eventually achieved enlightenment, and put an end to his angry, greedy and envious ways that had been the sources of his suffering.
For Comparison of a Suzhou agate, School of Zhiting bottle 1780 – 1880, sold $5,100 see https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27364/lot/646/
