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Lot Essay
The Yongzheng Palace Archives mention 'amber [glass] cups with carved decoration' (see Yang Boda, 'A Brief Account of Qing Dynasty Glass', Chinese Glass of the Ch'ing Dynasty 1644-1911, The Robert H. Clague Collection, p. 78). There is evidence that the present glass bottle was made in imitation of amber, when compared with another snuff bottle in the J & J Collection with similar carved decoration but made of amber, illustrated by Moss, Graham, Tsang, op.cit., vol. II, no. 294.
The 18th-century court took pleasure in all things novel, which included the concept of teasing the eye by recreating objects in other media. Because of the versatility of glass as a material and the multitude of colours that were easily produced, it was often used to simulate other material such as jade, jadeite, coloured hardstones, realgar and amber, among others.
The 18th-century court took pleasure in all things novel, which included the concept of teasing the eye by recreating objects in other media. Because of the versatility of glass as a material and the multitude of colours that were easily produced, it was often used to simulate other material such as jade, jadeite, coloured hardstones, realgar and amber, among others.