Orange Bee-hive

Possibly Imperial, 1770-1900
Height: 4.37 cm
Mouth/lip: .1.02/2 cm
Stopper: jadeite; gilt-silver collar

Provenance:
Excavated from a tomb, by repute, Beijing, April 2005
Hugh Moss HK (Ltd)

 

Translucent, variegated orange glass; of bee-hive shape with a cylindrical neck, flat lip and recessed, slightly convex circular foot surrounded by a broad, flattened, circular footrim; the foot inscribed in seal-script Qianlong nian zhi (‘Made during the Qianlong period’) within a double-square (possibly apocryphal).

Alexander Whittaker