Glass; the sapphire-blue body of slender ovoid shape supported on a raised foot rim of oval section, the mouth with thick walls, suffused overall with gold aventurine-glass inclusions rolled into the sides, attributed to the Imperial Glassworks, Beijing.
1700-1760
6.7cm
Provenance:
Pierrette Di Donna, France (1985)
Publications:
The Golden Autumn Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, no. 23
POA
This type of glass, where aventurine chips are rolled, or mavered, into the soft surface of the glass during manufacture, was introduced into the Imperial glassworks as early as 1700 and reached its apogee in 1741 with the order by the Qianlong Emperor for sixteen such snuff bottles of differing background colour, including black, sapphire-blue and green, Treasury 5, no. 720.
With its elegant form and gold splashes evenly distributed in varying sizes, a compelling visual statement has been made, with an almost blizzard-like effect.