Elegant pear-form vase with a gracefully tapering neck is raised on an elongated and subtly flaring foot. It is covered overall in a medium-blue robin’s egg-type glaze mottled with lighter and darker blues that drains toward the foot with violet-toned mottling. The base and interior are both glazed with a clear glaze that is tightly cracked. The footring is unglazed exposing the buff-colored china-like soft paste porcelain...
The embroidery pattern on these lotus shoes has always mystified me. There is a woman and an animal that is possibly intended to be a giraffe. I vaguely remember some bits of information. The Chinese first heard about the African giraffes from verbal and written descriptions...
This cream-white glazed vase is covered overall with a network of fine crackles stained over time with a pale brownish tone. The small meiping form tapers gracefully from a broad shoulder to a narrow waist and flares out again at the base. The base is glazed leaving the slightly rounded footring unglazed. The interior is glazed and the crackle pattern continues inside the neck. Vases like this one were used in the scholar’s studio. Good condition, no damages...
Heavy bronze mallet is cast with a stylized floral motif framed by a key fret design in a rectangular panel wrapping partially around the barrel-form mallet head. The mallet faces are both inlaid with copper and niello (copper, silver, sulphur alloy). The handle is inlaid with niello and incised with the artist’s signature reading “Kozan saku” (made by Kozan). The hole in the base of the handle was for a decorative silk cord, now missing...
The black enameled background provides a striking contrast with the colorful flowers in brilliant shaded enamels. Lilies, chrysanthemums, peonies, iris, and other blossoms cover the entire exterior of the bowl, even the entire exterior of the foot down to the footring. The interior is glazed white and left undecorated, further enhancing the contrasting effect of the exterior and interior...
Red and black lacquer applied over a bronze jar form with interior and base glazed with thick deep brilliant blue enamel. The bronze jars are first applied with red cinnabar lacquer which has been finely-carved with an undulating wave design. Overlying the red is a thick layer of well-carved black lacquer landscapes including rocky cliffs, trees, islands, dwellings and boats...
Cast with flowing robe and benevolent facial expression. Stands upon a base cast in the form of sea waves surrounded by low a fence raised upon a hexagonal plinth. Figure and base were cast separately with the figure being attached to the base with two bronze pins. The figure was originally lacquered overall then gilded. Remains of this gilt lacquer can be seen especially in the creases of the robe and the hair around the edges of the hood. The figure is well-modele...
Shallow bowl-shaped dish is raised on a tall foot and is decorated in underglaze blue with a branch of cherry blossoms encircling the interior. The painting is well-executed and the image is possibly based on a textile design. The underside is painted with three chrysanthemum sprays and the foot is decorated with the characteristic comb tooth pattern. Dish is glazed overall in a clear glaze leaving only the footring unglazed exposing the fine porcelain paste. There ...
Interior of dish is decorated with multi-colored overglaze enamels in a pattern known as “thousand flowers” in the West. Most of the various blossoms are painted in thick white enamel which is then shaded with different colors of enamel glaze. Space between the flowers is filled with gold enamel. The reverse is enameled with a design of three flower sprays. A six-character Guangxu mark is painted on the base in red enamel. The plate is raised on a low, inwar...
Round, footed bowl-form base and tapering stepped lid are heavily cast in bronze and then finished by lathe-turning to enhance the concentric stepped pattern on the lid and the incised rings encircling the base. The bronze retains its natural patina from age and use. There are areas of reddish-brown and small patches or verdigris on the exterior. The interior of the lid shows overall verdigris with numerous patches of brown encrustation. The interior of the bowl is blackish w...
The dimensions of copper rodan: 16"w x 16"w at the top (the rim is 2.5" wide) and 10" in heigth. The bottom is 11 1/2" x 11 1/2". Old iron stand, gotoku is , 9 3/4" across and 6 inches tall.