Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese (180)

This milky glass bottle is applied with four colors of glass and carved in relief with the symbols of the eight Taoist immortals. The sides have carved bat handles in black glass and the interior is well-hollowed. The stopper is pale whitish jade with a small apple-green splash. It is in good condition. Acquired in Norfolk, VA in the mid 1980s.

Height: 2 5/8 in. with stopper, 2 5/16 in. without stopper, Width: 2 in.

Dish-shaped stand is set on a rather high foot. The open center of the dish is ringed with a raised collar with the opening designed to accommodate a footed lacquer or ceramic tea bowl. Decorated in the doucai manner with a design of two four-clawed dragons chasing jewels, outlined in underglaze blue. The outlines are then filled in with colored enamels and both the central collar rim and the outer dish rim are gilded with gold enamel. The underside is decorated with concentric rings and three stylized bats in underglaze cobalt blue. The slightly rounded footring is unglazed revealing the white paste. No damages or repairs, though the gilding on the rims has wear consistent with use. Small brown iron stain on the footring from contact with the clay pad on which it was fired. Overall very good condition.

Bowl or cup stands of similar form (not decoration) often accompanied jian ware or temmoku tea bowls in the Song dynasty. Wood or lacquer stands of this sort are still used in the formal tea ceremony in Japan when serving thick tea in Song style tea bowls.

Height: 1 in.; Diameter: 4 ¼ in.
Interior diameter of opening: 2 in.

This melon-form biscuit porcelain pot is mostly covered in rich yellow enamel glaze with green enamel used to pick out the leaves and stem. A low foot with dark enamel glaze supports the melon on its side, and an opening is carved in the top to receive the water and brush. There is an old hairline crack that runs from the opening down the side for about an inch and there is a small chip on the side of the opening, but it is still completely usable as a brush washer.

Height: 2 in., Length: 2 5/8 in.,Width: 2 in.

This bowl is covered overall in an attractive bluish green celadon glaze except for the footring, which shows the buff-toned porcelaneous stoneware body. The glaze is somewhat unevenly applied to the exterior. The interior has a glaze bubble that popped in the firing. Acquired in the early 1980s from an antiques dealer in Alexandria, VA.

Diameter: 4 ½ in., Height: 2 3/8 in.

These vases of tapering square form are decorated overall in famille rose and noir enamels, each having four cartouches depicting courting scenes, surrounded by geometric and floral designs. There are four smaller cartouches on the necks with scenes of scholars and young men. The rims are thinly glazed, and the bases are unglazed. There is professional restoration to the base of the neck on one vase, and a small chip to the base of the other that was also professionally restored. Otherwise, except for minor wear to the enamels, which would be expected, the condition is good. Acquired from a family collection in Asheville, NC.

Height: 11 ½ in., Width: 3 ¾ in.

This solid porcelain water pot fits comfortably in the hand and its size and heavy weight indicates dual use as a paperweight for the calligrapher’s table. The form is that of a Chinese drum with bosses encircling the perimeter of the top and bottom imitating nail heads. The underglaze blue decoration is hastily painted with floral-like flourishes around the side. The top is painted with four Chinese characters around the central opening for containing water. The piece has seen considerable use as evidenced by a number of small chips, nicks, scratches and general wear, though no serious damage is apparent. The base in unglazed and although the porcelain paste is visible, it is fairly soiled from years of use.

Height: 1 5/8 in.; Diameter: 3 5/8 in.

This lidded jar is painted with two lion dogs frolicking among peony flowers, all on an imperial yellow ground. The lid is similarly decorated with a single peony bloom. Both the interiors of the jar and lid are unglazed showing the fine white paste. The inset base is covered in a thin clear glaze with an incised double ring. The footring is unglazed and there is minor soiling to it and to the interior of the jar. The condition is good, without damage or restoration.

Height: 7 5/8 in., Width: 6 in.

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.

Skillfully painted on the interior with a scene of a mountainous landscape with waterfalls and scholars’ residences, loosely in the manner of the late Ming/early Ching artist, Wang Jian.

The transparent glass is slightly grayish in tone and the vase’s interior has been evenly ground to create a frosted background to the painting. The artist was probably a professional snuff bottle painter.

Interior painting is completely intact. Very small rim flaw, otherwise excellent condition.

Height: 9 ¼ in.

Large flatten-formed snuff bottle carved from translucent agate having various smoke-like inclusions ranging from dark brown to a light brownish-ochre. The two narrow sides are carved with a stylish mask motif with a pendant handle. A low, shallow carved foot forms the base. The stopper is a large cabochon of aventurine quartz. Few very small chips to the mouth edge from use and wear, otherwise very good condition.

Overall height: 3 ¼ inches; Width: 2 ¼ in.

This bowl is glazed in white overall except for the foot and base, save for a small bit of glaze on the base. The fine, white porcelain paste is exposed on the base.

Diameter: 4 ½ in., Height: 2 in.

This square form wine cup is lined with silver with a silver rim, now darkened from tarnish. The sides and foot are lacquered black and inlaid with abalone mother of pearl. The sides of the cup flare outward from the square foot and each displays a stylized scene of rocks, people and seascapes. There are some minor age cracks to the lacquer and a few pearl losses. The exterior base is unlacquered and appears to be metal – probably lead.

Height: 1 5/8 in., Width: 2 ¼ in. square.

This tubular shaped holder is partially hollowed on one end in order to receive a peacock feather decoration. The jade is a white tone with white mottling and a very slight hint of green when held to the light. It has a soft polish and even wear from use. Good condition.

Length: 2 ½ in., Diameter: ¾ in.

Made for use as a ceremonial offering dish. The glaze has an overall bumpy texture. There are a few minute iron spots. Generally good condition and no damage. Acquired in Hong Kong in the 1960s.

Height: 3 7/8 in.; Diameter: 8 3/8 in.

Large mountain-form brushrest molded with a fanciful design of a mythical horse prancing over stylized waves. Known as haima in Chinese, this decoration was popular on ceramics in the late transitional period through the early Kangxi period and often seen painted in wucai or enamels on biscuit. The molded haima design appears to be somewhat unusual and the high relief of this design combined with the cobalt glaze make for a striking effect similar to that of carved celadon wares. The cobalt is of an even tone and covers all except the base where the fine, high quality porcelain paste is revealed. Being molded in two parts, this piece is hollow and a small hole is present in the middle of the base that permitted gases to escape in the firing. Very good condition, some wear to the base.

Height: 2 7/8 in.; Width: 3 7/8 in.; Depth: 1 ¾ in.

This box is molded to resemble lacquered basketry—the cartouches on the sides representing finely woven panels separated by what would have been lacquer work. The top of the lid is molded with a design of a crane in flight among stylized clouds. The box is glazed overall, including the interior and the base, with an even-toned white glaze with a faint bluish tint. The glaze has a silky, flat sheen, almost having the appearance of marble. This piece was likely recovered from an underwater shipwreck site in the southern Philippines. Being many years underwater has contributed to the glaze texture and also to the preservation. Completely intact and in good condition. Purchased twenty years ago from a California collection.

Height: 2 ¾ in.; Width: 4 ¾ in.

The body is formed by a fairly thinly turned jade tube that is fitted with a turned hardwood plug for the base. The wooden bottom is visible on the interior base of the jade tube and it is turned to form a stand that compliments the simplicity of the jade form. The jade is slightly yellowish to pale celadon and has white veining on one side with brown inclusions on the other, creating patterns resembling clouds or a landscape. The stone is slightly translucent with a satiny luster that adds to the overall effect. Purchased in the mid 1980s from a collection in North Carolina.

Height: 5 1/8 in. with base; Diameter: 2 7/16 in.

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.