清中期 水晶球|Crystal ball

Art Historical Context

This stunning rock crystal sphere, titled *Crystal Ball* (清中期 水晶球), hails from China's Qing dynasty (1644–1911), the 18th–19th. Measuring 5 inches (12.7 cm) in diameter, it exemplifies the era's mastery of hardstone carving, a technique prized for transforming tough, translucent quartz into luminous objets d'art. The inclusion of bird motifs, as noted in its tags, likely adorns its surface or interior, capturing the grace and vitality of nature—a common theme in Chinese decorative arts. Rock crystal was revered in Qing imperial workshops for its ice-like clarity, symbolizing purity and immort...