Chinese Vase

Dark green, high-gloss and perfectly plain, it lets the glass do all the talking.

This vase comes from Hebei Province, China, and is contemporary, in Peking glass. Peking glass developed in the Qing court workshops and is admired for its rich, opaque colors, often layered or carved, though plain forms have their own following. This one is a simple cylinder with an oval mouth and softly rounded shoulders at the base. The glass is a deep bottle green, nearly black in the shadows, with a polished surface that catches broad bands of light. It is 9 inches wide, 5 deep and 12 high.

Minimalism has seldom been so glossy.