The bottle has red overlay on an opaque white ground, each side depicting fan-tailed fish swimming amidst aquatic plants.
The eddies of the water and rockwork are lightly incised in the body and there is an elaborate seal inscription beneath the neck, 5.5cm.
During the 19th Century, Yangzhou, in the coastal province of Jiangsu, was a prosperous commercial centre with its own artistic community.
Glass overlay bottles in this very distinctive style have been traced to Yangzhou and can be dated with some accuracy.
This is an example of fine Yangzhou work, with typically delicate carving on the overlay enhanced by incised details on the body.
The seal inscription on the neck is typical of this group of bottles.
