Description
Offered here is a superb urn shape Peking glass vase in Imperial Yellow. Unmarked, antique, flawless. 8.5 inches tall and 2.3 lbs. It features the trademark inner rings of the cased glass-making technique. Flared mouth, flat cut top, polished to a soft gloss. These are quite rare. We have two.
Peking glass originated in 18th century China during the rule of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and continues to be produced in China. Glass was used to imitate the harder to work jade and other precious stones.
Yellow Peking glass was dubbed “Imperial Yellow” due to the color’s strong association with the Qing Imperial clan of Aisin Gioro. This distinctive color is also called “Chicken-Fat Yellow.”
The technique of making Peking glass vessels involves turning a blowpipe in a crucible of molten, pigmented glass until enough volume has built up on the end. Then this globule is immersed and re-immersed a number of times until a large amount of glass has accumulated for the vase. Metal tooling roughly shapes the form before it enters an iron mold and the glass is blown out into the form within the mold. The glass cools very gradually in a kiln for about 2 days. Once cool the top is cut cleanly and each vase is polished by hand for many hours until the surface glistens.
The entire work is a volatile process, and often six out of ten vases are rejected for bubbles, cracks, and other imperfections that are discovered as the pieces are finished. (description by Alexander Lamont)
