Blue, lavender- or lilac-coloured jadeite probably became available to the Chinese at much the same time as the better-known and more plentiful emerald-green jadeite. This leaves open the possibility that jadeite pieces of this more dramatic and exotic colouring could date from the late eighteenth century, although it is known that many were made from the latter part of the Qing dynasty into the Republican period.

Although the present bottle may feel heavy in the hand, it is because of its size rather than a lack of care in hollowing. Indeed, the interior is extremely carefully and evenly hollowed, leaving a wall thickness of only about 6.5mm.. The spectacular material combines a dynamic natural pattern of the deepest lavender colour with a paler, icy-lavender colour and a pale, sage-green.