19TH CENTURY

The elongated neck of the present example is achieved by allowing the plant to partially wither, then providing it with water and nutrients so that it begins to grow again. The neck is then twisted into a knot and the gourd is dried to hold its shape. Compare with a pair of similar examples illustrated in The Charms of the Gourd, Hong Kong, 1993, p. 184, pl. 5, another example illustrated in Oriental Works of Art, Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London, 2000, no. 71, and a gourd bottle illustrated by G. Tsang and H. Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, no. 273.