18th Century six-color overlay bubble-suffused glass 'Goldfish' snuff bottle
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
18th Century
This exceptional snuff bottle, dating to the 18th century, features a complex 'bubble-suffused' (feixue) ground, where dense, tiny bubbles within the semi-translucent glass create an effect reminiscent of fallen snow or frost.
The body is decorated with an intricate overlay of six-color glass—green, yellow, purple, black, ruby red, and sapphire blue—expertly carved into a relief depicting a lotus pond scene. The design incorporates naturalistic motifs including goldfish, lotus flowers, lotus leaves, chrysanthemums, and a butterfly, symbolizing prosperity and nobility. The base is an oval foot ring. The bottle measures 7.3 cm in height and demonstrates the sophisticated lapidary and glass-working techniques of the Qing dynasty, where multiple layers of colored glass were carved to create depth and textural detail.
The bottle is a notable example of the 'overlay' technique, which allows for the refined, sculptural portrayal of floral and aquatic imagery against the ethereal, textured background of the body.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Height
- 7.3 cm
- Material
- Bubble-suffused glass with six-color glass overlay
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Overlay glass carving
Design
- Obverse
- Goldfish, lotus, and water ripples
- Reverse
- Lotus leaves, lotus seed pods, red lotus flowers, purple chrysanthemum, and a butterfly
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.