IMPERIAL, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1700-1760

Details

A FINE AND RARE WHITE JADE FACETED SNUFF BOTTLE
IMPERIAL, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1700-1760
Of octagonal shape, each side carved with a raised faceted panel, the stone of even white tone, glass stopper
2¼ in. (5.7 cm.) high

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Lot Essay

The well-known faceted glass bottles produced from the Kangxi period (1662-1722) onwards at the Imperial glassworks in Beijing were soon produced in other materials. The technique of faceting was introduced by Kilian Stumpf, director of the glassworks from its inception until his death in 1720, who borrowed from Bavarian glassmaking techniques. The method was soon applied to other popular materials at court, including jade and quartz. For an example of an early faceted glass bottle, see the blue glass bottle dated 1696-1730 from the J & J Collection sold in these rooms, 29 March 2006, lot 80. A white jade bottle of similar form attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing, and dated 1700-1760, from the Blanche B. Exstein Collection, was sold in these rooms, 21 March 2002, lot 227.

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