Lot 209
Treasury 5, no. 745 (‘Hidden Dragons’)
HK$15,000

Transparent, smoky-brown glass with a few scattered air bubbles of various sizes; with a flat lip and a recessed, slightly convex foot surrounded by a protruding flattened footrim; each narrow side with a moulded design, on the inside of the glass, of chi dragons
1740-1820
Height: 5.35 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.68/1.53 cm
Stopper: jadeite; coral collar

Provenance:
Robert Hall (1984)

Published:
Treasury 5, no. 745

This is one of the loveliest examples of a small group of very rare glass bottles where the design is moulded on the inside rather than the outside. First, the glass was blown into a mould with the design carved into it as a negative image. The result, in this particular case, was a pair of chi dragons in relief on the outside of the narrow sides of the bottle. While still malleable, it was then encased in a plain mould of the same shape. More air was blown into the bottle, forcing it outwards against the plain surface of the new mould and pressing the exterior pattern into the walls of the glass, so the same design emerged on the inside. The only problem with the method is that the process tends to reduce the sharpness and clarity of the design, often only a ghostly impression of the design being left inside. The design here is not in question, but neither is it sharp nor well defined, and the same is true of the few known examples of this type.

The chi dragon design on the narrow sides relates the example to a group of apparently imperial glass bottles of the mid-Qing period. These imitate aquamarine and green beryl (see Sale 4, lot 55), suggesting that this may have been an experiment at court at the same time, or possibly a private glassmaker’s response to them, also at about the same time, hence our dating.

Despite the inevitable lack of clarity in the design, the material is clear and lovely, the form excellent and confident, and the detailing and polishing impeccable.

This is not the Sotheby’s sale catalogue. This is a product of Hugh Moss for the purposes of this website. For the catalogue details please refer to Sotheby’s website or request a copy of a printed sale catalogue from Sotheby’s.