Peking glass

Peking glass (also known as Qianlong Glass or Tao Liao Ping ) is a form of Chinese glassware that originated in 18th century Peking China. Originally used in the fabrication of glass snuff bottles, Peking glass has since been appropriated for a number of uses and continues to be produced in China.

Peking glass originated in 18th century China during the reign of the Qing Dynasty. The glass was produced after European Jesuits introduced modern glass-making methods to China, which was at that time closed to the West. These advances led the Kangxi Emperor to establish an Imperial glass-works in 1696 to better produce the new materiel. The glass was commonly used in snuff bottles and vases, where it was used to imitate the harder to work jade and other precious stones. Eventually, the processes of creating Peking glass was spread outside of the imperial glass-works and into the general population, leading to many artisans adopting Peking glass as a material. The golden age of Peking glass in China is widely cited as during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. Though the art-form declined after the 19th century, the production of Peking glass continues in China.

Peking glass is an overlay carved glass created by layering material around a core, similar to Cameo glass. This process creates multiple layers of glass that are then carved away to produce a textured image. Peking glass is often made with different colored layers of glass, creating contrast when the outer layers are carved away. Historically, many pieces of Peking glass were made with yellow glass (dubbed "Imperial Yellow") due to the colours' strong association with the Imperial clan of Aisin Gioro.

In the late 19th century, glass-works in Czechoslovakia produced Peking glass beads for use as costume jewelry.

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