Imitating Immortality

Probably Beijing, 1750-1850
Height: 4.78 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.72/1.87 cm
Stopper: coral; turquoise collar

Provenance:
Private Japanese collection
Bonham’s, Hong Kong, 21 May 2009, lot 1048

 

Semi-translucent, variegated, coral-coloured glass; with a flat lip and an oval foot surrounded by a protruding flat, oval foot rim; carved on each main side with four of the attributes of the Eight Immortals, one side with the gourd of Li Tieguai 李鐵拐, the fan of Zhongli Quan 鐘離權, the sword of Lu Dongbing 呂洞賓, and the magic lotus flower of He Xianggu, the other with the basket of flowers of Lan Caihe 藍采和, the clapper boards of  Cao Guojiu 曹國舅, the flute of Han Xiangzi 漢湘子, and the fish-skin drum of Zhang Guolao 張果老, the narrow sides with mask-and-ring handles.

Alexander Whittaker