Qing dynasty seven-color overlay coffee-ground glass 'Bird and Phoenix' snuff bottle
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Qing dynasty
It features a translucent, semi-opaque coffee-colored glass body acting as the ground, which is layered with a complex overlay of seven different glass colors, including green, yellow, white, black, red, and sky blue.
The bottle has a straight neck, sloping shoulders, and an ovoid body supported by an oval foot ring. Using the 'overlay' (taoliao) technique, the glass is carved in relief to create vivid, multi-layered decorative scenes. One side showcases a 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' motif, with a central phoenix accompanied by various avian species like blue magpies and white cranes set against a landscape of rugged rocks and bamboo.
The other side continues this theme with further bird figures. The bottle measures 6cm in height and displays masterful craftsmanship in its varied color application and detailed carving, characteristic of the refined artistry associated with the imperial workshops.
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
- 6cm
- Material
- multi-colored overlay glass
Design
- Motif
- 'Bird and Phoenix', bamboo, rocks
- Technique
- overlay glass carving
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.