A BLUE OVERLAY ON OPALESCENT GLASS SNUFF BOTTLEImperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops, Beijing，1736-1795 Of cobalt-blue on an opalescent white ground, of rounded form, with shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck with a wide mouth and a neatly carved oval footrim, carved on one main side with a leafy flowering peony, continuing on the reverse with a branch of leafy blossoming peonies beneath a moth and butterfly in the air above; stopper. 2 1/4in (5.7cm) high 1736-1795 半透明白地套藍料蝶戀花鼻煙壺一件 御製 或為北京宮廷作坊製 Provenance: Hugh Moss, May 1987 Joan and Ted Dorf Collection, no. 5 Exhibited: The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD., September 30 – December 9, 2018 The development of overlay glass bottles in terms of style and decoration was swift during the Qianlong period. Bottles from the first half of the period tended to exhibit more freedom in the carving with surface detail and well-rounded almost sculptural carving. The glass color in the first half of the period was a clear cobalt-blue with a slightly more opaque blue color appearing towards the late Qianlong period.