Snuffbox in red overlay glass, China, 1750-1820, later mounted in gold in Europe to create a salt flask Of rounded, flattened form, in red overlay glass on a translucent ground carved with three bats, a carp in the waves exhaling clouds where the moon nests and a palace built on the sea, towards which flies a crane carrying a bamboo milestone in its beak. The shoulder and neck are embellished with a hammered decoration in 14-carat gold, ending in a stopper topped by a dark red glass cabochon closing the bottle. Bottle height: 6 cm; total height: 7.8 cm; gross weight: 68 g Small repair to the hinge. Provenance: Millon-Jutheau sale, Hôtel Drouot, May 8, 1984, lot no. 61 (not illustrated). The carp symbolizes perseverance, ambition and the will to overcome trials, in reference to the legend of the Dragon's Gate. The full moon embodies fulfillment and wish fulfillment. The carp contemplating the moon expresses the aspiration to a fulfilled life, marked by success, luck and prosperity. The crane above the palace is a wish for longevity.