This Buddhist altar-set was created in the court glass workshops of the Qianlong emperor, third ruler of the last of the Chinese imperial dynasties, the Qing (1644 – 1912). The shape of the incense burner draws on centuries of tradition whilst the skill in carving glass drew on Chinese expertise in carving jade. The glass technology draws on European glass-making expertise which arrived in the Qing court with the Jesuit missions of the AD 1600s and 1700s. The altar-set provides an opportunity to study the interplay of tradition and innovation in China and the impact of growing western interests.