AN ARCHAIC INLAID BLUE GLASS BEAD

Details

AN ARCHAIC INLAID BLUE GLASS BEAD
WARRING STATES PERIOD, 4TH/3RD CENTURY B.C.

Of globular form, the deep blue body inlaid in white with two offset rows of elliptical medallions filled with flowerheads formed by small white circles surrounding another circle, with a narrow ropetwist band encircling the wide circular opening at each end
15/16in. (2.4cm.) diam., box

Exhibited

Osaka, Osaka Municipal Museum, 1991, Chugoku Sengoku Jidai no Bijutsu (The Art of the Warring States Period), no. 284

Lot Essay

A very similar glass bead with medallions of seven small circles within an elliptical surround and a ropetwist band around the openings is illustrated amongst a group of beads by Jessica Rawson (ed.), The British Museum Book Of Chinese Art, London, 1992, p. 260, pl. 190
Beads of this type, decorated with layers of colored glasses, making what are called eyes, are known from many parts of the world, including Egypt, Mesopotamia and Europe. The form of these beads was probably copied from such foreign examples