A delightfully designed Chinese cast glass libation cup in the fanciful shape of a phoenix. The piece was manufactured by melting the glass in a mould, with some of the details which were incised by hand. Glass libation cups of this phoenix shape and large size are exceedingly rare. This exquisite cast glass is a playful and skilled re-interpretation of the archaic bronze models, providing evidence of the extreme admiration of the past in the Qing era.

In the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) glassmaking witnessed a big revival, probably a result of the imperial support, as many ateliers which were working specifically for the palace were established. The creation of these imperial workshops and their openness towards the introduction of western techniques, lead to the flourishing of Chinese glassmaking. Qing glass production was marked by enthusiastic support from the emperor, princes, and high officials and glass objects like the ones presented here were luxury articles. In the Kangxi period (1661-1722, the third emperor of the Qing dynasty) glass imitation of gems reached its peak, with clear glass used in place of rock crystal. Rock crystal was a material treasured by the Chinese people in the same way as they treasured jade and was a symbol of purity.