Dark blue iron alms bowl, Qianlong reign (1736-1795), Qing dynasty

Dark blue iron alms bowl, Qianlong reign (1736-1795), Qing dynasty

• Image Number: K1D000851N000000000PAB
• Dynasty: Qing dynasty
• Category: Miscellaneous objects
• Function: Furnishings
• Material: Minerals/Metals/Iron
• Description:
  The caulking bowl has a sharp and round bottom, a very thin and light wall, and the whole body is indigo blue, with many rusts exposed on the surface. The blue plating technique of this iron ware in the courtyard can only be seen in this kind of bowl shaped vessels, which seems to originate from imitation lapis lazuli bowls. It is attached with a painted leather box with Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan characters written in ink on its cover. It says, “On August 28, the 60th year of Qianlong’s reign, a new iron bowl with the feathers of the old kang stork was made.”