Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 1.djvu/273

taken simply as a field for displaying bright enamels, and even if these occasionally approach the transparency and purity of their Kang-hsi and Chien-lung prototypes, the general effect is confused and unsatisfactory. It is probable, however, that some of these imitations have found their way into American collections, for they have been exported from the East by dealers of repute.

A rare and very highly prized variety of "jewelled porcelain" is decorated with enamels showing all the properties of glass. From the Ming era the Chinese acquired great skill in the manufacture of cameo glass, using it chiefly to make snuff-bottles, writers' vases, bowls, and other small objects. Towards the close of the Kang-hsi era their keramists conceived the idea of employing glass, or a slightly modified form of it, in the same way as they had hitherto employed vitrifiable enamels for over-glaze decoration. Opinions may differ about the artistic success of this new departure, but as a tour de force it was certainly very remarkable, and from Chinese connoisseurs it elicited applause. Few specimens are procurable, and a very high value attaches to them in China. Occasionally a porcelain vase is found having body-glaze and decoration such that its resemblance to a specimen of cameo glass is striking.

Before dismissing the subject of porcelain decorated with enamels over the glaze, notice must be taken of the "Three-coloured Ware" (San-tsai-ki). This, as its name indicates, is distinguished by paucity of coloured enamels, green, yellow, and red only being employed, with occasional addition of blue sous couverte. Green is the dominant colour, the others usually occupying a more or less subordinate place.