Glass has been made in China for a long time. It may not have been continuously made.

Beginning in the late 18th century under the Qianlong Emperor, at least one glass works began making finely crafted items resembling Imperial-quality ceramics and carved jade.

Beads were also made of very fine glass for 'court' necklaces. Were these made by the same works that made the fine vases and carved snuff bottles? I don't know, but of the very few 'court' necklaces I have seen, the quality in size, color and workmanship was quite different from what can be seen on sewing baskets and in other clearly 1920s-later products.

Production of finely crafted vessels continued into the 19th century. But these were not made for export, and don't seem to have been made in very large quantities. After all, the Chinese ceramics industry was making perfectly serviceable and less fragile items for everyday table ware, so glass was neither necessary nor really more beautiful--except what was made for Court use and Court gifts.

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