This charming bottle belongs to a small group of fish-form bottles most likely carved during the Qianlong period that is characterized by impeccable quality and finish and superb choice of material. They represent the finest of Qing miniature jade carving and nearly always possess a lovely, soft, satiny polish, as epitomized here.

The generic word for aquatic grasses in Chinese is pronounced zao, which puns the character meaning 'early,' and the goldfish is a form of carp, liyu, which puns the character meaning profit or wealth. Thus, the design of the present bottle may be read as a rebus meaning, 'May you soon become wealthy.'