Lot 106
Treasury 5, no. 898 (‘Clinging to Peace ‘)
HK$27,500

Transparent ruby-red glass and transparent golden-yellow glass, suffused with air bubbles of various different sizes, some elongated; with a flat lip and recessed, slightly convex foot surrounded by a protruding rounded foot rim made up of elements of the design; carved as a single overlay with chi dragons climbing up each narrow side, their tails circling beneath the bottle to form the foot rim
Attributable to the imperial glassworks, Beijing, 1770 – 1840
Height: 8.29 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.62/1.50 cm
Stopper: aventurine quartz; gilt-silver collar

Provenance:
Jana Volf
Hugh M. Moss Ltd, Hong Kong (1994)

Published:
Treasury 5, no. 898

The likely imperial provenance ascribed to this bottle is based upon two main feature—apart from the use of ruby-red glass, which may have been an imperial prerogative for much of the eighteenth century. The chi 螭 dragon design was one of the most popular at court, and in this particular version, with the beasts confined to the narrow sides and tails curling beneath the bottle to form the foot rim, it can be associated with another group of glass and semi-precious hardstone bottles believed to have been made for the court, initially during the second half of the Qianlong period.

The other clue is provided by the transparent golden-yellow ground that we know to have been an imperial colour of the Qianlong period.

This seems to be a Beijing style, and is probably from the imperial glassworks, although by the turn of the century lack of reliable data concerning the role of private workshops in Beijing gradually drains what little confidence we retain regarding attributions. The relatively large size suggests that it is no earlier than the late eighteenth century, and a slight loss of technical control where the ground plane meets the raised beasts indicates manufacture during the period of gradually declining standards. We would not be surprised to learn that this was made in the early nineteenth century rather than the late eighteenth.

This colour combination of ruby red on golden yellow is a rare one, despite its obvious appeal. The two dragons are powerfully carved, with distinctly feline bodies and confident execution.

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.