Well hollowed of ovoid form supported on a broad foot and rising to a wide mouth with lipped rim, carved to the shoulder with a band of Shou characters above pendent ruyi-heads, with bands of key-fret and upright ruyi-heads above the foot. The amber of a slightly translucent, egg yolk and golden-orange tone.

Provenance: French trade. Acquired from a private collection.
Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, few small chips, lapping, scratches and natural flaws.

Weight: 22.9 g
Dimensions: Height 55 mm. Diameter neck 18 mm and mouth 13 mm.

One of the more exotic materials used for carvings during the first half of the Qing dynasty, amber is the translucent fossilized resin of ancient coniferous trees from the Tertiary period. Three main varieties of amber were used during the Qing Dynasty: a range of transparent brown, golden-brown and reddish amber; a 'root amber', and a yellow, cloudy amber associated with the Baltics, such as the present bottle. Baltic amber is translucent in appearance and found around the Baltic region. It is characterized by its rich yellow tone, commonly referred to as jiyouhuang or 'chicken oil yellow' and is harvested from fossilized tree resin which has endured intense high pressure and heat underground for thousands of years.