An imperial colorless glass 'butterfly and flower' incense holder, Mark and period of Yongzheng 清雍正 御製透明料蝶戀花圖香插 《雍正年製》款

Ashkenazie & Co., San Francisco, circa 1980s.

Ashkenazie & Co.，舊金山，約1980年代

The Qing Palace's initiation of glass manufacturing dates back to the 35th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, as chronicled in the "Imperially Commissioned Grand Qing Code of Laws and Precedents": "In the 35th year, by imperial command, a glass factory was established, subordinate to the Workshop of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, with a single supervisor appointed." Emperor Yongzheng appeared to harbor a special penchant for glassware; following his ascension, he founded new glass factories in six locations within the Summer Palace. During this era, monochromatic glassware was particularly prevalent, boasting over 30 distinct colors. Monochrome glass was further categorized into "Nie glass" (opaque) and "Liang glass" (transparent).

This diminutive bottle is an example of Liang glass. Its glass quality can be compared to a transparent glass globular bottle from the Qing Dynasty's Yongzheng period, housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing. Similar to the present piece, the glass exhibits a slight alkali reaction, resulting in a somewhat less transparent yet uniquely elegant appearance. Refer to Zhang Rong, ed., "Lustrous Autumn Waters: Glassware from the Qing Palace Workshop," Beijing, 2005, plate 4. A transparent "Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity for Ten Thousand Generations" gourd-shaped snuff bottle from the Yongzheng/Qianlong period, formerly part of Mary and Chuang Zhi's collection, may also serve as a point of reference. It was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong on May 26, 2014, under lot number 1006.

透明料，平口，短頸微束，直身下收於圈足，瓶身砣刻蝶戀花纏枝花卉圖，底刻「雍正年製」款。

清宮開始設置玻璃厂可以追溯到康熙三十五年，《欽定大清會典事例》記載：「三十五年奉旨設立玻璃廠，隸屬於養心殿造辦處，設兼管司一人。」雍正皇帝似乎對玻璃器情有獨鐘，他繼位後在圓明園六所又建立了新的玻璃廠，且這一時期的玻璃器以單色為多，共有三十多種顏色。單色玻璃又分為「涅玻璃」和「亮玻璃」兩種，前者為不透明玻璃，後者為透明玻璃。

本件小瓶即屬於亮玻璃，其玻璃質地可參考北京故宮藏一件清雍正透明玻璃球腹瓶，與本件一樣，玻璃略有反鹼，故失之全透，又別有風致，見張榮編，《光盈秋水：清宮造辦處玻璃器》，北京，2005年，圖版4。瑪麗與莊智博舊藏一件清雍正 / 乾隆透明料「福祿萬代」葫蘆形鼻煙壺可供參考，2014年5月26日，售於香港蘇富比，拍品編號1006。