GLASS
AN UNUSUAL FOUR-COLOR OPAQUE GLASS BALUSTER VASE

QIANLONG FOUR-CHARACTER MARK INSCRIBED AROUND THE BASE

Details
AN UNUSUAL FOUR-COLOR OPAQUE GLASS BALUSTER VASE
Qianlong Four-Character Mark Inscribed Around the Base
The spreading pedestal foot, lower body and neck covered with an opaque pink layer atop a white under layer, the shoulder covered in an opaque black or blackish-green layer ending just above a cut edge, and the mouth rim in opaque, bright blue contrasting against the slightly translucent white of the interior, the four characters of the mark spaced evenly around the outer edge of the slightly concave, solid base
5 7/8in. (14.9cm.) high

Lot Essay

Although no other glass vase of this particular shape and combination of colors appears to be published, the same unusually configured four-character Qianlong mark, also inscribed on a solid base, can be found on a multi-colored baluster vase encircled by spiraling stripes illustrated by Yang Boda, "An Account of Qing Dynasty Glassmaking", p. 139, fig. 8, a symposium paper published in Scientific Research in Early Chinese Glass, Corning, New York, 1991, the proceedings of the Archaeometry of Glass Sessions of the 1984 International Symposium on Glass, Beijing, September 7, 1984. This same vase is illustrated in color, showing its red, white and blue stripes, green foot, teal mouth rim and cream-colored interior in Zhongguo meishu quanji; Gongyi meishu jin yin boli falangqi (A Complete Collection of Chinese Art, Arts and Crafts; Gold Silver, Glass and Enamelware), vol. 10, Beijing, 1987, p. 137, no. 249. See, also, the multi-colored vase, each section in a different color, ibid., p. 138, no. 250. Another baluster vase, also with different-colored sections was included in the exhibition, The Minor Arts of China III, Spink, London, March 31 - April 16, 1987, Catalogue, p. 93, no. 123