Pair of Cobalt Peking Glass Bottleneck Vases

Artisans created this pair of early 20th century cobalt Peking Glass vases using techniques developed hundreds of years ago in the Imperial workshops. The process involves hand-crafting layers and layers of molten glass and then carving and polishing it to achieve sculpted forms with jewel-like surfaces. In China, glass making dates back to the Han Dynasty, but experienced a revival in the 17th century after foreign missionaries presented glass instruments to the Chinese court. These pieces fascinated the emperor, who then had a glass workshop of his own built inside the Forbidden City.