IMPERIAL, PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1700-1760

Faceted forms derive from European stylistic and technical influence during the early years of the Beijing Palace glassworks which were set up in 1696. At this time, the workshops were under the direction of a Jesuit missionary named Kilian Stumpf, and there is every reason to expect European influence in design as well as manufacture. Bohemian glass of the 17th and 18th centuries is well known for faceting, and similarities with early Palace workshop production suggest a clear connection. Small size also seems to be a standard feature of some of the earlier Imperial faceted glass snuff bottles.