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

This oval repousse box with a well-executed peony design on a hinged lid opens to a beveled mirror and case with three separate compartments covered by a single silver lid with a floral-form knop. The sides are incised with a continuing floral design and the base is impressed in the center with a Chinese character hallmark. The repousse on the lid is very well-worked against a fine punched background. There is some wear and a few surface scratches and residue from an old label on the base. The overall condition, however, is very good. This is an unusual form for Chinese export silver and was perhaps intended for the Western market.

Height: 1 ¼ in.; Length: 5 ¼ in.; Width: 3 ¾ in.

This tea pot is inscribed with Chinese characters on one side, and has a bamboo motif incised on the opposite side. The handle and spout are sculpted to represent knotty tree limbs, and the lid is carved with leaves and stems. The maker's seal is impressed on the interior of the lid. It is in good condition and was acquired from my grandmother's antique shop in the mid 1960s.

Across spout and handle: 7 ¾ in., Height: 4 ¾ in.

The base has a “min yao” Yongzheng seal mark in overglaze iron-red enamel, but the cup probably dates to the later 18th Century. The decoration is in overglaze enamels and the rim has a faint brownish wash. Although the piece is in very good condition-- no chips, cracks or restoration, the glaze has numerous tiny iron specks, particularly visible on the interior. The footring displays the very white paste often seen in 18th Century wares.

The design is inspired by the well-known, but rare imperial “chicken cups” of the early 18th Century, which were derivative of the extremely rare ones from the Chenghua period.

Diameter: 3 ¼ in., Height: 2 ¼ 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.

Used for grinding ink sticks to make ink for painting and calligraphy. These two palettes were fashioned on the potter’s wheel from dense, thick porcelain. The upper surface is left unglazed for ink grinding. The circular grinding area is slightly concave and is surrounded by a channel for water used in the ink-making process. Both are incised with a design of stylized bats encircling the perimeter of the body and glazed with a deep, vibrant cobalt blue. The buses and footrings are unglazed exposing the dense porcelain body, oxidized in places to a pale orange tone. Both pieces have old damages to the foot area, some of which have been repaired. The damages in both cases appear to have occurred in the firing process possibly from pieces of fired clay that adhered to the footring and were chipped off after removal from the kiln. The palettes are heavy and both sit flat on the table. Although they show evidence of their use and age, they are fully usable today.

Diameter: 4 7/8 in.; Height: 1 1/8 in. and 1 1/16 in.

This tall baluster vase is glazed in deep oxblood red that is suffused all around with patches of pale blue ranging to lavender and purple. The overall effect is somewhat reminiscent of a landscape painting. As a lamp, it retains its original brass fittings, but one socket is an old replacement. The wiring is intact and the lamp still functions. The condition of the porcelain overall is very good, though the base was drilled in the lamp-making process.

Height of vase: 16 in., Diameter: 7 ¾ in.

This wine cup is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with three yin yang symbols on the exterior and also one on the interior base. It is raised on a low unglazed footring showing the white paste. The base is glazed and has a hastily painted mark. The overall condition is very good, without chips or repairs. It was recovered from a shipwreck site in Southeast Asia. The glaze has taken on a matte finish from submersion in the ocean.

Height: 1 7/8 in., Diameter: 3 ¼ in.

This miniature vase has a whitish / buff stoneware body that is covered in a clear glaze that has areas of discoloration from pale gray to an attractive yellowish tone, likely a result from long-term burial. Three comma-shaped decorations were swiftly brushed onto the shoulder. The bottom third of the vase remains unglazed, exposing the strong stoneware body. The footring and base are likewise unglazed, and an old sticker from the early 20th Century remains attached to the base. There is a small chip to the underside of the mouthrim. Purchased in 1985 from the estate of a Chapel Hill, NC university professor.

Height: 3 3/8 in., Diameter: 1 7/8 in.

Now wired as a lamp, this vase is glazed in variegated oxblood that has been applied to produce a flambe-like pattern against an even copper-red background. The interior, which is partly revealed at the mouth, drains to white. It is mounted to a traditional Chinese carved wood base and wired for electricity. It is in overall good condition with no repairs or restorations.

Vase height: 11 ¼ in., with stand: 12 3/8 in.

This brilliant turquoise dish is molded with a multi-lobed well and flat rim, the edge of which has been polished. The base is flat and carries an incised “China” mark at the center. It is in good condition.

Diameter: 12 in., Height: 1 ¾ in.

This small jar is decorated with auspicious symbols hastily painted in underglaze cobalt blue and covered with a thick transparent glaze of whitish tone. The base is recessed with the clear glaze partially covering it. There are two small chips on the mouthrim, some glaze crawling and loss to the shoulder as a result of the firing. A small lump of unglazed material can be seen on one side below the shoulder which is the result of another jarlet adhering to it during the firing.

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

These two vases were mostly part of an altar set that included an incense burner and circular box, all in cast bronze and having similar Koranic inscriptions. The vases are heavily cast as are most of these types of inscribed utensils. The calligraphy is raised from the background and is framed by a lobed cartouche surrounding a ring-punched background that helps to accentuate the inscription. The punched background was probably lacquered a dark brown or black originally and some traces appear to remain. The vases are well-cast and finely finished with concentric bands enhancing both the mouth rims and foot rims. A key-fret band is incised around the upper necks below the mouth rims. The exteriors exhibit a brownish, blackish patina and light patches of verdigris. Bronzes with Arabic inscriptions such as these vases were probably not made for export, but rather to serve the needs of the Muslim community in China. Both vases are in very good condition.

Height: 5 7/8 in.; Width: 3 3/8 in.

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.

Decorated overall in a rich cobalt blue underglaze design with two cartouches depicting various auspicious symbols. The secondary design is that of prunus blossoms against a solid blue background. The base is glazed and the footring is exposed, revealing the typical 18th Century hard, white paste. A band of hatchwork encircles the shoulder. The mouth is unglazed with an adjacent narrow band, likewise unglazed. The interior is clear glazed, evenly and overall. The jar is in good condition with no damage or repairs. There is some soiling from age and use, seen particularly around the mouthrim and upper shoulder.

Height: 5 ½ in.

This slender, attenuated brush pot (or possibly tool vase) of medium brown tone, displays a visible wood grain pattern on the exterior. The mouthrim and interior appear to retain the original surface. The base is worn fairly smooth from use. The exterior was probably refinished at a later time. The overall condition is very good with no repairs.

Height: 5 in., Diameter: 2 ¾ in.

This pair of soft paste porcelain ovoid jars are decorated in underglaze cobalt blue of a strong sapphire tone. Both jars are decoarted with identical designs of foo lions at play with various stylized cloud elements filling in the background. Surround the neck is a thin line design that forms a six-pointed star when viewing straight down from the top. The necks of both jars are unglazed and originally would have had dome-shaped lids. The bases of both jars display well-written horizontal six-character Kangxi marks surrounded by double circles. The jars are covered in a clear glaze with a very fine crackle that has darkened with age, and over the buff colored body yields a pleasant creamy tone against the blue. The interiors are also fully glazed. Overall, both jars are in very good condition without cracks or restorations. There is a tiny glaze bumb from the firing on one. The footrings are unglazed and have darkened from age and use. Some staining on the necks is present from use. Purchased in Kyoto in the mid 1970s.

Height: 5 ¼ in., Diameter: 4 1/8 in. (both)

This circular box is well-carved with cranes and clouds in low relief on the lid and covered with an even, sea-green, translucent celadon glaze that highlights the carving. The bottom half of the box is incised with lines radiating from the base and representing the petals of a chrysanthemum flower. The base is glazed and the footring is unglazed exposing the white paste – somewhat soiled with use. The interior of the base and lid is also glazed with an even sea-green celadon tone. There is a minute nick on the interior rim of the bottom half of the box. There is some wear and soiling from use. Generally very good condition. Acquired at auction ca. 1985

Diameter: 3 3/8 in., Height: 1 ½ in.