2 - A FACETED YELLOW-GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE, IMPERIAL GLASSWORKS, BEIJING, 1720-1840

A FACETED YELLOW-GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE, IMPERIAL GLASSWORKS, BEIJING, 1720-1840 To Be Sold Without Reserve Of meiping (prunus-blossom vase) form with a slightly flared cylindrical neck, wide mouth, flat lip and recessed, flat, circular foot, surrounded by a flat footrim with a circular inner, and octagonal outer profile; the exterior with a series of eight vertical hexagonal facets, lined to the foot by a series of eight pentagonal facets, and to a flat panel around the lower neck on the shoulders by a further register of pentagonal facets Height: 5.4cm Provenance: Hugh Moss (HK) Ltd, 20th February 2007, (a copy of the original invoice available) Imperial yellow was, of course, a staple at the Imperial glassworks, and faceted forms standard. Many bottles of this colour, in various shapes, have come out of tombs in and around Beijing in the last few decades, including a range of faceted, Palace shapes These glass bottles, mostly Imperial, were made in large numbers to be distributed by the Qing Emperors as gifts to officials, scholars, military men and other worthies on specific occasions each year. A large proportion of distributed bottles were in glass of various colours and shapes and because they were received from the Emperor, they were symbols of honour and were frequently buried with Qing snuff-takers This faceted meiping form is typical of the Court, but an unusual form for a Palace faceted work Ω This Lot was imported from outside of the UK, under the Temporary Admission regime 5% import VAT will be charged on the ‘hammer” and 20% VAT will be charged on the ‘buyer’s premium