Bottle ID: 00467

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RED RUBY, CARVED W/WAVES, MOON & SUN

Date: 1730-1760

Height: 79 mm

Glass, of deep clear ruby-red tone, of flattened pear shape tapering to a cylindrical neck with a wide mouth, and with a neatly carved footrim, carved in relief on one side with the sun and on the reverse, a crescent moon, both above a continuous lower band of ribbed waves.

Imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing.

Similar Examples:

Crane Collection nos. 80, 390 and 440.

Provenance:

Hugh Moss [HK] Ltd.
Universal Art Antiques, Taipei, Taiwan, January 2002

Exhibited:

Annual Convention ICSBS Toronto, October 2007

This glass bottle has the same deep ruby-red tones and soft glowing polish as the equally simple, but masterful, red glass bottle carved with a band of kui dragons in this Collection.  (Crane no. 440).  The design of ribbed waves on the lower half of the bottle may be a precursor to the technically excellent red glass bottle - Crane no. 80 - where the ribbed pattern dominates the whole surface of the bottle, almost losing its symbolism in the process.  This example acts as a link between no. 440 and no. 80 allowing for a Palace attribution for all three.  The technical accomplishment of this bottle is shown in the ribbed wave motif where a glance through the bottle will show the alignment of the decoration on both fascias.  The sun is generally known as the embodiment of Yang, the male principle, with the moon symbolic of the female principle, Yin, between them creating a balance in the world.  There is also a well-known Chinese legend - the story of the Sun and Moon Pool in which young lovers have to rescue the sun and moon from two water-dragons and throw them back up into the sky - which may be represented by the apparently uncomplicated portrayal of the sun and moon above water on this bottle.

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