March 15-29

CHRISTIE’S ONLINE AUCTION

One of the highlights of Christie’s auction calendar this month is ‘Rivers and Mountains Far from the World: Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Rachelle R. Holden Collection’. The collector – Rachelle Holden, now deceased – purchased her first snuff bottle in 1974, and soon became fascinated by this uniquely beautiful art form. The 114 bottles for sale (in 112 lots) have been fashioned using materials such as glass, porcelain, agate, jade, and painted enamel on metal. Highlights include an extremely rare and important imperial famille rose-enameled glass snuff bottle (1736-1795) formerly from the Zhang Tungyu Collection, a superb Yixing slip-decorated snuff bottle (17501830), and a masterfully carved black and white jade snuff bottle of the Suzhou School (1740-1850).