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Brush washer
Description:
A water container like this might be used to wash out brushes for calligraphy or painting. The rim of the bowl was also used to wipe excess ink or paint off a brush.
Glass
Height: 8.7 cm, diameter: 17.2 cm, neck diameter: 8.8 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1700-1800, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4749
Water-pot
Description:
To make this water-pot the blue bowl was probably blown into shape and then dipped into the molten white and then molten green glass. After cooling, the outer layers were carved away to make the design of vine leaves. The combination of clear green on opaque white is effective for showing the details of the leaves.
Glass, carved in relief
Height: 4.9 cm, diameter: 5.3 cm, neck diameter: 2.5 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4565
Water-pot for calligraphy
Description:
Water-pots are one of the writing tools that scholars kept on their desks, along with stones for grinding ink, brush rests and paper-weights. These tools were also status symbols as they showed that their owners were educated. On this water-pot, the craftsman carved through the layer of amber glass to make the design of dragons.
Glass
Height: 4.0 cm, diameter: 6.3 cm, neck diameter: 4.0 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: China, 1700-1800, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4624
Water-pot for calligraphy
Description:
The patch of pink glass gives this tiny water-pot the appearance of a small fruit. It is a bit like a peach, a symbol of long life, or a plum.
Glass
Height: 2.5 cm, diameter: 3.5 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4753
Water-pot for calligraphy
Description:
An egret (a type of bird like a heron) is shown here on a lotus leaf. The white feathers of egrets do not become stained even when they dive in the muddy waters where lotuses thrive.
In China egrets shown with lotuses became symbols for government officials who are not corrupted by their surroundings. If you gave someone a present with a design like this it would mean you thought they were good and honest.
Glass, carved overlay
Height: 7.7 cm, diameter: 12.5 cm, neck diameter: 7.5 cm
Mark of Qianlong reign (1736-1795), but later in date
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4653
Incense burner
Description:
The three-legged shape of this incense burner can be traced back to bronze vessels in the Shang (about 1700 B.C. – 1050 B.C.) and Zhou (1050 B.C. – 221 B.C.) dynasties of ancient China. Small incense burners like this one were used in the home. They were sometimes fitted with metal liners to protect the glass from the heat of the burning incense.
Glass
Height: 7.5 cm, diameter: 13.3 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1700-1800, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4623
Incense burner
Description:
This incense burner is in the form of a gui, a bronze vessel to hold food for ritual use. It is so tiny is may have been a decorative item, maybe to go in a ‘treasure box’, an ornate box with tiers of containers inside to store miniature treasures.
Glass
Base height: 3.9 cm, base diameter: 10.2 cm, lid diameter: 3.6 cm, lid height 3.6 cm, combined height: 7.8cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4696
Incense burner
Description:
Small incense burners like this were probably used in private devotion. The pierced wooden lid allowed the smoke of the burning incense to escape. The design is of taotie (monster) heads and dragons. The taotie is said to be a symbol that warns against greediness, so it is sometimes known as ‘the beast of greed’.
Glass, cast and carved in relief
Base height: 7.8 cm, base diameter: 10.2 cm, lid length: 10.8 cm, lid width: 9.1 cm, lid height 5.0 cm, combined height: 9.9 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4697
Incense burner
Description:
Small incense burners such as this were used on domestic altars and elsewhere in the home. People burnt incense during acts of worship but also to make rooms smell nice and to keep insects away. This one made of ‘moonlight’ glass is in the shape of an ancient bronze three-legged vessel called a ding.
Glass
Height: 5.8 cm, diameter: 11.8 cm
Four-character mark of Qianlong reign period (1736-1795) in seal characters, carved in relief in a single square, but later in date
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4591
Incense burner
Description:
This small incense burner is in the shape of an ancient bronze vessel with animal head handles. Incense such as sandalwood was burned in both Buddhist and Daoist rituals. It was also burned at New Year and other festivals and at funerals. The wealthy used incense to make their homes smell nice when receiving visitors.
Glass
Height: 6.5 cm, diameter: 7.5 cm, width with handles: 8.0 cm
Creator: Unknown
Date: 1800-1900, Qing dynasty
Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives
Object ID:N4694
