$300.00
Possibly made for use as a ceremonial item. Some rim fritting, one frit to underside as shown. A few pinholes and a small stain spot to the interior, otherwise good condition. Acquired in Hong Kong in the 1960s.
Height: 1 3/8 in.; Diameter: 8 ½ in.
SOLD
Even, whitish celadon tone, intricately pierced and carved on both sides with a scene of a daoist immortal rowing his log craft over the waves. A crane flies overhead symbolizing wishes for longevity. The raft terminates in a pine tree. The pine tree along with a flower basket in the center, are symbols of one of the eight immortals, Lan Caihe. This plaque was original intended to be used as a pendant ornament. There are two small holes in both the top and bottom edges to permit a fine silk cord to be inserted for suspension. One side of the carving retains an old collector’s inventory label. The plaque was fitted at a later date with a carved hardwood display stand permitting it to be used as a miniature table screen.
Stone height: 2 3/8 in.; width: 3 in. Height with stand: 3 ½ in.
$125.00
This serpentine stone displays a yellowish buff color against a mottled blackish tone to produce a mountainous landscape effect. It is tubular in form and set upon 3 carved feet. It has a soft polish on the both the exterior and interior. The base is unpolished and exhibits its original carved surface. There are several small chips and evidence of wear around the rim, otherwise it is in good condition. It was likely used to hold short incense sticks. Acquired from a North Carolina estate in the mid 1980s.
Height: 3 ¼ in., Diameter: 1 5/8 in.
SOLD
These tall, slender offering jars with lids are well-potted and molded with dignitaries, dragons and horses, and covered with a thin bluish-toned clear glaze. The bluish areas are apparent where the glaze has pooled around the molded figures. The lids are likewise glazed and finished with a simple stylized swirl of clay. The clay body is white and a bit sugary in texture. There are orange areas of staining from burial. Jars such as these were used as grain offering containers and were interred with the deceased for use in the afterlife. The mouthrim, the foot, and the base are unglazed. The jars are a matched pair and are in generally good condition. There is a small chip to the piecrust shaped decoration below the mouthrim of one jar. There is very minor chipping to the edge of the feet. There is a small piece on the edge of one lid that was broken and restuck.
Heights with lids: 17 ¾ in., 18 in.
$195.00
This water pot is in the shape of drum which doubles as a paperweight for painting and calligraphy. It is decorated with underglaze cobalt blue and iron oxide in a rather cursive depiction of flowers and butterflies. The side has two sections of calligraphy covered with a thick, translucent glaze, somewhat obscuring the brushwork. The base is not glazed and shows considerable wear and soiling from use. There is a line of tiny raised dots surrounding the top and bottom of the piece which are intended to represent the nail heads that would be seen on a drum. There are some glaze skips on the side and some minor nicks on the top edge and visible wear – all consistent with a scholar's item that has seen a great deal of use.
Diameter: 3 3/8 in., Height: 1 3/8 in.
$3,200.00
This vase is painted in green, yellow, turquoise and black enamel on a pale aubergine background, depicting various dignitary figures in a garden setting. The interior is fully glazed white, having some minor pitting and small iron specks in the glaze. The base is unglazed with areas of light orange re-oxidation from the firing, and the fine white paste is visible around the perimeter. There is a spurious Zhengde mark in black enamel on the shoulder. Overall, the condition is very good having only some general soiling from age and use. There are no repairs or restorations. Acquired from a private collection in the early 1990s.
Height: 14 1/2 in., Width: 8 ½ in.
$1,600.00
This vase has a graceful, slightly tapering long neck rising from a bulbous body – a classic Song Dynasty form, but this one was produced in the Qing Dynasty in the Song style. The dark “iron wire” crackle pattern covers the entire exterior, including the base, and extends in the the mouth. The interior is also glazed. The glaze is of a thick pale grayish-green celadon type, thinning slightly to a paler gray tone on the mouthrim and stopping just above the footring where the pale stoneware clay body has burnt brown in the firing. There is a tiny old chip on the footring and two small silvery dots side by side on the lower body where an iron impurity in the clay has bled through the glaze. The footring shows some wear from use. There are no cracks or restorations. The color is very even and the vase is very well-potted and of elegant form. Acquired from a North Carolina private collection.
Height: 9 ½ in., Diameter: 5 3/8 in.
$125.00
This circular-form lidded box is of a type found widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia as a Chinese trade item exchanged for spices, pearls, precious metals produced by the various foreign island cultures. Small boxes such as this one were possibly intended for cosmetics or spice storage. This box is painted with a stylized flower on the lid surrounded by a hastily-painted leaf border. The base is likewise painted with two abstract floral designs. It is glazed overall with a clear glaze of slightly grayish tone. The footring is unglazed revealing the porcelain paste. The general condition is good however there are a few tiny old chips from use and some crackled areas to the glaze. There is a small glaze skip to the lid rim and general soiling from use or burial.
Height: 2 3/8 in.; Diameter: 3 ¼ in.
$295.00
This toggle is carved from a single piece of carnelian agate of a rich brownish-orange tone and utilizes the naturally occurring white layer to produce a cameo of an elderly man, possibly a Taoist figure. The reverse is carved with a monkey climbing a banana tree with what appears to be a ruyi fungus. There are several holes or pits incorporated into the design, three of which are carved through allowing for attachment to a cord or chain. The deep colored stone has a few areas of lighter and darker shades running through it, and a few minor flaws. Acquired in the 1960s from a South Carolina collection.
Height: 1 5/8 in., 1 ¼ in., Width: 1 ¼ in., Thickness: 7/8 in.
$350.00
This lidded box is enameled with a floral pattern on the lid and four sides. The various colored flowers are arranged against a turquoise blue ground with an overall background of geometric pattern of cloisons The exposed metal that is not enameled is gilded both inside and outside the box with the gilding having mostly worn off the wires of the flowers and background from age and use. The interior of the box and lid are all turquoise enamel as is also the exterior base. There are two areas of restoration to the enamel on the bottom and side of the interior, and also a small nick to the lid interior and some cracks to the base. The exterior enamels are in good condition with no repairs or restoration. There is a slight indentation on the long side at the far right blue flower.
Length: 4 ¾ in., Width: 3 3/8 in., Height: 2 in.
SOLD
Some light-brown stained crazing to the interior, otherwise good condition. Acquired in Hong Kong in the 1960s.
Height: 2 ¼ in.; Diameter: 13 ¼ in.
SOLD
This vase is decorated in overglaze enamels over an imperial yellow enamel ground. The base has an apocryphal six-character Kangxi mark in underglaze blue. Two stylized handles glazed in coral enamel decorate the neck. The base and interior are glazed white. The footring is unglazed. It is in good condition. Acquired from the collection of Evangeline Johnson of the Robert Wood Johnson family.
Height: 14 ½ in., Width: 11 in.
SOLD
This celadon jade cup has two handles, a slightly pronounced rim, and is set on a raised foot. The body is carved with three lines of raised knobs along the sides, with two straight, vertical handles on opposite sides. The stone is of a very light translucent celadon tone with a whitish patch that has a reddish-brown outline near the foot. The base of one handle has an indented and polished area, and a carved line under the overhang of the handle. The other handle has a more squared base, with no carved line under the overhang. A small dark inclusion can be seen on the interior well of the bowl. Overall, it is in good condition. Acquired from a Virginia estate around 1990.
Length across handles: 4 ¼ in., Diameter of bowl: 2 5/8 in., Height: 1 3/8 in.
SOLD
The wood appears to be old jichi wood that is exceptionally well-carved with twisting tree trunks of pine and plum intertwined to form the body, while stylized pine needles and plum blossoms encircle the perimeter. The pine and plum trunks are carved to show their contrasting textures. The piercing and depth of the carving give an energetic quality to the piece. Based on the carving, this stand was not intended as a fitted stand for a particular vase or sculpture. It may have been used as a brush rest or a wrist rest. The patina is a rich brown with an overall soft polish. The underside shows wear in the form of smoothness from use.
Length: 6 in., Width: 2 5/8 in., Height: 1 1/8 in.
SOLD
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. The base is glazed white and displays a four-character Qianlong mark in iron-red overglaze enamel. Good condition, no repairs or restorations.
Height: 2 ½ in.; Diameter: 6 ¼ in.
SOLD
The lid is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a depiction of Liu Bing, the founder of the Han Dynasty, attacking a snake, which was considered to be an omen predicting the founding of the Han Dynasty. This particular scene, probably from a woodblock printed book illustration, is seen from time to time on Shunzhi Period – early Kangxi transitional wares. The base is glazed and displays the classic six-character Kangxi mark. The paste is exposed on the footring and is textured of buff-colored China clay, consistent of soft paste porcelain. The clear glaze has an overall crackle, also consistent with soft paste porcelain wares. Very good condition with moderate wear and no damage.
Diameter: 3 ½ in., Height: 1 3/8 in.
SOLD
Glazed on the biscuit with green, yellow and brown enamels. On the base are three unglazed spots on which the piece was fired. Stopper in the form of bat, handle in form of stem and spout in the form of blossom. Very good condition with only minor construction flaws glazed over in the firing.
Width: 3 in.; Height: 2 7/8 in.
SOLD
Water pot of squat, ovoid form with a narrow foot and slight depression of a base. The even lavender-blue tone of the glass is translucent in strong light and is well-polished on the interior as well as the exterior. Such items as this were essential for the scholar's desk and are more often seen in ceramics than in Beijing glass. There are a few areas of abrasion and scratches from use and some light wear to the foot area. Otherwise, good condition.
Diameter: 4 ½ in., Height: 2 ¾ in.