Compound Vase with Six Trumpet-Shaped Necks

The unusual form of this vase is achieved by conjoining five identical long-neck bottles, with their mouths opening up into a shared cavity. Covered in a pale green celadon glaze, the surface of this stoneware vessel evokes that of high-quality Longquan celadon, which reached its pinnacle during the Song Dynasty. On the base of the center bottle, a Qianlong reign mark is inscribed in archaic seal characters. While pieces like this could occasionally serve as flower vases, they were most likely crafted as unique showstoppers.