The story of the Dowager Empress crystal sphere has been as circuitous as it is mysterious. This pure quartz crystal dates from the Qing Dynasty in late 19th century China, and is supposedly a treasure of the Empress Dowager Cixi, though there is no evidence connecting it to her. The impressive 25.4 cm diameter and 50 pound weight was shaped through years of constant turning in abrasive powder and water, but it's not clear who made it and when. According to legend, the sphere was lost for decades with rumors and sightings all across the country until it was purchased in Shanghai in the 1920s by the Wanamaker company. From there it arrived in Philadelphia and was purchased in 1927 as a memorial gift for the director of the Penn Museum, where it was put on display in the Chinese Rotunda. In 1988 it was stolen from the museum and remained missing for three years until the FBI discovered it not too far away in a thrift store garage on South Street. Will wanders never cease?

Penn Museum
Philadelphia, PA

02.17.21