A 'PROWLING TIGER' SOAPSTONE SNUFF BOTTLE1750-1850 Of flattened, rounded form with a cylindrical neck and a neatly carved oval footrim, the ochre stone carved in relief on one main side with a tiger jumping from a rock, one narrow side with a pine tree issuing from rockwork with one branch hanging on the reverse side; stopper. 2 1/2in (6.2cm) high 1750-1850 壽山石刻虎鼻煙壺一件 Provenance: The Stone Picking Studio ( Cai Shi Xuan ) Sotheby's London, June 21, 1995, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the Collection of The Stone Picking Studio ( Cai Shi Xuan) , lot 104 Joan and Ted Dorf Collection, no. 238 The subject matter on this bottle works very well with the material; on the front a striped tiger is shown climbing stealthily over a rock whilst on the other side the carver uses the markings in the material to equal effect to extend the decoration of a gnarled pine tree from the narrow side across the reverse.