Page 175 - March 22 2022 Bonhams
P. 175

221                                               In the Qing Imperial Palace the Yuanming Yuan, there was a building
           A SAPPHIRE BLUE GLASS SEAL                        named Xiyu Shanfang (Mountain Studio for Enjoying the Rain). The
           19th century                                      structure was built during the Qianlong period, at which time it was
           Of upright oval form, with a skillfully carved mythical beast as the   referred to as the Leshui Shanfang, and in the Jiaqing period the
           knop, the sides carved with a repeating archaistic C-curl pattern,   name changed to Xiyu Shanfang. Although it would be difficult to
           the legend on the underside in relief reading Xiyu shanfang 喜雨山房   declare definitively that this seal was made for the Yuanming Yuan,
           (Mountain Studio for Enjoying the Rain).          the sophisticated level of carving indicates that is was likely a product
           2 1/8in (5.5cm) high                              of the Imperial Glassworks.

           $3,000 - 5,000                                    For another Transparent pale blue glass seal dated to the Qianlong
                                                             period and surmounted by a mythical beast knop, suoni, and bearing
                                                             the relief seal Yangxing Dian (The Hall of Spiritual Cultivation) located at
           十九世紀 藍寳石色《喜雨山房》料印                                 the Palace of Tranquil Longevity in the Forbidden City, see Liu Xinyan,
                                                             Xiang Xiaqun and Zhong Guomiao, Treasures of Chinese Qing Dynasty
                                                             Palace Glass, London, 2019, p. 168. The authors note that the glass
                                                             is imported and therefore dense and hard and difficult to carve. They
                                                             employed special engraving techniques used for jade items.

























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