Of spherical form with a short recessed foot, the body containing two cartouches within a dark peach-form outline, both depicting young boys in a yellow-ground garden, the first wearing a blue jacket with pink pants while holding a branch of leaves and admiring butterflies, the second wearing a pink jacket with blue pants and reknotting a single blue chime, the edges of the bottle in a turquoise ground with decoration of blossoming pink nandina florals, ripening peaches, branches and leaves. The base with a puce four-character Kangxi yuzhi mark (made by Imperial command for the Kangxi Emperor) on a white ground. Ivory stopper.

Zena Rebak was born in London, England, in 1923. During the mid-1960s, she embarked on a brief yet intense decade-long period of collecting Asian art. While she had a fondness for Chinese jade and ivory carvings, her true passion lay in Chinese snuff bottles, of which at its peak, she amassed a collection of over one hundred examples. She was particularly drawn to the diversity of materials used in their creation, including porcelain, glass, hardstone, metalwork, and various organic mediums.

Under the guidance of a close antique dealer friend in London, Zena Rebak acquired the majority of her collection through gallery purchases and actively shared and discussed her snuff bottles with other respected collectors and scholars of the period. In 1983, she relocated to Vancouver with her husband. Despite the distance from London, her dedication to snuff bottles and Asian art remained strong, and she went on to hold a docent position at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia where she showcased examples from her collection.

The present Beijing enamel snuff bottle was last reportedly seen by the international snuff bottle community in the late 1960s. It belongs to a small and highly important group of only thirteen recorded ‘Imperial Command’ snuff bottles bearing a Kangxi yuzhi mark.

The enamels on these bottles were produced using newly introduced technologies transmitted to China by visiting Jesuit missionaries at the Qing court. These innovations allowed for a broader and more vibrant colour palette than was previously available, expanding upon the established famille verte tradition. In particular, the use of gold oxide in the enamelling process led to the invention of a rose-pink enamel, now more commonly referred to as famille rose, marking a pivotal moment in the development of Qing decorative arts.

Stylistically, the bottle departs from conventional Chinese decorative modes and instead reflects a pronounced Western influence. This is especially evident in the subtle modelling and shading of the boys’ clothing, as well as in the treatment of the flower petals and foliage - features closely aligned with European painterly techniques newly introduced at court.

Despite these Western elements, the bottle remains deeply rooted in Chinese artistic sensibilities and symbolism. The depiction of young boys conveys the auspicious wish for a long lineage of male heirs, a theme of particular significance to the Kangxi Emperor (reign 1662–1722), especially during his twilight years. Additional motifs associated with longevity include the peaches arranged along the edges of the decoration, also echoed in the dark outlines of the medallions, as well as the vibrant puce nandina flowers, a plant prized for retaining its red berries and green leaves throughout the winter months. Taken together with the use of a newly developed decorative technique, it is possible that this snuff bottle was conceived as a birthday presentation, conveying wishes for many more years of life and continued reign.

Of the thirteen recorded Beijing enamel snuff bottles bearing a Kangxi yuzhi mark, this example is listed as number twelve by Hugh Moss in his seminal publication, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles: The Mary & George Bloch Collection (2008). The remaining examples are recorded in the following collections:

• Two in the Beijing Palace Museum

• Two in the Taipei National Palace Museum

• Two formerly in the J & J Collection

• Three formerly in the Bloch Collection

• One in the Rietberg Museum, Zurich

• One in the Crozier Collection, now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WORK IS FOR DOMESTIC PURCHASE ONLY IN CANADA; Heffel will not ship this work internationally. Please be advised that this lot contains organic material that is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The auction preview for this item is at Heffel Toronto by appointment only.