A RARE FACETED AGATE BOTTLE

IMPERIAL, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PALACE WORKSHOPS, BEIJING, 1720-1780

Details

A RARE FACETED AGATE BOTTLE
Imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing, 1720-1780
Of squat shape, both sides carved with raised faceted oval panels, the warm beige stone with an attractive abstract pattern of dark brown and honey tones, well-hollowed, stopper
1 7/8in. (4.7cm.) high

Provenance

Sotheby's, Los Angeles, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles from the
Collection of Alice B. McRenolds, Part I, 31 October 1984, lot 119.

Lot Essay

The well-known faceted glass bottles produced from the Kangxi period onwards at the Imperial glassworks, Beijing (lot 23 is an example) were soon produced in other materials. The technique of faceting came from 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 (crystal, agate, jasper, etc.). Agate examples are relatively rare, and the size and shape of this one suggest that it is from the first half of the eighteenth century.

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