Thus is a charming late Qing dynasty blanc de chine sculpture of a young girl sitting next to her dog. She holds a Sheng (The Chinese sheng (Chinese: 笙; Pinyin shēng) is a mouth-blown free reed instrument consisting essentially of vertical pipes) in her right hand. The details are quite well defined and the young girl's face is a picture of youthful innocence. The girl sits on a rocky outcrop and there is a wrapped package sitting next to her. ...click for details
This is a fine blanc de chine figure of the Goddess of Mercy, Kwan Yin (also known as Guanyin, Kwanyin). She carries a ruyi scepter in her left hand and a basket with fish in her right hand. The figure stands on a group of stylized waves. It comes from the fine artisanship of this special tradition of Chinese porcelain, made in Dehua City, Fujian Province, China. The fine execution in the details of her fingers and fingernails, bead strings and hair is exceptionally detailed. It dates from the ...click for details
This is a puzzling Japanese blue and white dish – it has some of the characteristics of Namban art – the three cash designs typical of Nabeshima ware – and some of the style of Kraak porcelain. Let us suffice to say that it is a fascinating piece and let it go. The transfer design has a central reserve of two Dutchmen with a little boy located in a landscape next to a lake. It then has two outer bands – the innermost band is a stylized floral design within a double blue line. The outer band has ...click for details
This flared bowl is from the transitional early to mid Ming period and is in the style known as kitchen Ming – or country Ming for it lack of sophistication in execution and purity. It has an underglaze blue design on the outside loosely drawn geometric figure - circles, lines, etc. The inside of the bowl has a loosely painted figure that could be a persimmon – a common theme in Chinese pottery. The foot and base are not glazed with the natural tan clay showing and significant amounts of kiln gr ...click for details
This is a mid Ming dynasty 15th/16th century blue and white Mei Ping vase. It is loosely decorated with an under glaze blue design of chrysanthemum flower scroll motifs on two sides of the vase. It is possible that this was a provincial piece. These are surrounded with stylized cloud designs. On the upper shoulder there is a continuous band of cloud lappets design. The narrow neck has three small darker blue leaf-like designs. The narrower bottom half has two very loose stylized flowers. The bot ...click for details
This is an interesting Chinese blue and white bowl with rather intricate designs in underglaze blue. We are not quite sure of its origin – the previous owner had identified it as Sawankalok – but we have been told by an expert that it is Chinese. The sides of the bowl are decorated in a design that resembles a turtle back with multiple interlocking five sided frames around circles of seven dots. The inside of the bowl has a lovely spare design of a stylized floral spray in the bottom and geometr ...click for details
A nice small blanc de chine or white porcelain figure of Kwanyin seated in the Royal Repose position. The piece has a very light creamy color to the glaze - not the normal very white associated with earlier blanc de chine pieces. It is clearly hand modeled from the indications of hand work on the inside of the figure.
A Chinese blue and white scalloped edge dish with a design in underglaze cobalt blue of two four clawed dragons on opposing sides of the rim. They are separated by white clouds and the center is almost a yin/yang design. The dish measures 6 3/4" diameter by 1" deep. There is a mark on the inside of the footed base - not translated.
An Annamese blue and white jarlet in an unusual form – it is square with rounded corners and a round top. The short round neck of the piece has two soft blue cobalt rings. Then the shoulder has a group of four lappets flowing from the center of the top to the tops of the four corners. On the four sides we find a design of what appears to be a branch holding three pomegranates – all done in underglaze cobalt blue. At the base of the jarlet there are conjoined lappets that end at the bottom of th ...click for details
A fine small Chinese blanc-de-chine figure of a seated Kwanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. This position is known as that of Royal Repose. The figure dates from the late Qing dynasty,circa 1890s - 1915. The Kwanyin is 3 3/4" high by 2 1/2" wide by 1 1/2" deep and is in excellent condition. There is kiln grit on the base which is typical in the earlier blanc-de-chine pieces. On the back there is an mark in the shape of a gourd - meaning not known. Lovely face and graceful posture. I com ...click for details
This flared small bowl is from the transitional early to mid Ming period and is in the style known as kitchen Ming – or country Ming for it lack of sophistication in execution and purity. It has an underglaze blue design on the outside loosely drawn geometric figure - circles, lines, etc. The inside of the bowl is not decorated and does show a two inch long stable hairline. The base glaze has a light crackle to it – whether from age or deliberately done in the kiln not known. The foot and base ...click for details
This is an impressive tall white pottery figure of the Chinese Buddhist monk known as Bodhidharma or Damo. The figure stands 14 ½” high(34 cm) - the base is 5” by 4” and the body at its widest measures 4” by 3 ½”. The detailed carving of the pottery is quite handsome – his flowing robes, his well defined face with piercing eyes, and the stylized waves upon which the figure stands.
This is an early Kakiemon dish with a sparse design that would appeal to the Japanese preference for wabi, or simplicity, in its design. The center of the dish has the characteristic small design of a small chrysanthemum with five flared stems evenly spaced around the flower. The outer rim is a simple band of stylized flowers in underglaze blue. On the outer rim the bottom of the dish is a band of karakusa vines. There is a single spur mark in the center of the bottom – caused by a small clay s ...click for details
This is a superb Vietnamese stoneware jar with many intricate underglaze light blue cobalt designs. The vase measures 10 “ tall and is 9” diameter at the shoulder - - the top opening is 4 5/8” diameter and the slightly flared base is 6 ½” diameter. The jar has a rough texture with sandy grit in the clay. The top of the vase has a rolled rim – with a low collar that has four small floral sprays in on the collar.
This is a handsome Japanese pottery shallow bowl in the shape of a boat. On the inside of the boat is an elaborate underglaze design in cobalt blue of a Buddhist symbol and two sets of hanging wisteria. The prow of the boat has a small blue flower on it and the stern has a dark cobalt design with a loosely drawn flower. (I particularly like the fact that the small bulbous prow of the boat is slightly off center.) The entire upper body of the bowl has a soft celadon glaze that offsets the dark bl ...click for details
