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

This orange-brown pottery brush pot, possibly produced at the Yixing Kilns, is hand-sculpted to simulate an old gnarled tree trunk with various crevices, stumps of limbs and peeling bark. It is incised with two Chinese characters, one in archaistic style, the other in cursive script. On the base, there is an impressed Guangxu sealmark. Though unglazed, it has an old patina from use and possibly remnants of colorless lacquer. The interior has somewhat darkened with age and use. The base is carved with three low feet, all unglazed and showing evidence of age and use. Very good overall condition.

Height: 4 ¼ in.; Diameter: 3 ½ in.

This shallow, square tray-shaped dish is covered in black lacquer and inlaid with delicate abalone mother of pearl work, with touches of red, brown and gold lacquer. A central landscape scene of rocks, plants and butterflies is set in a black cartouche thinly framed with mother of pearl. The rest of the background and interior sides are sprinkled with fine abalone shell dust which gives this dish a blue-green sparkle. Mother of pearl butterflies and flower blossoms fill the area outside the cartouche, and around the perimeter o the interior base is painted a key-fret border in gold lacquer. The sides flare outward with slight bad wing corners and are rimmed with silver. One corner appears to have some old restoration. There are some small pearl losses in places on several of the butterflies. The back is lacquered black and the base is raised on four very low feet. There are some old but stable age cracks visible on the back.

Diameter: 4 ¼ in. square, Height: ½ in.

This tripod censer is raised on three animal-masked feet that support its large, rounded body. The rim is decorated with a key fret design, and the body has ten lappets composed of stylized mask and key fret designs all in low relief. It retains its original brown patina overall with a deep greenish gray interior from use. Good condition.

Diameter: 12 in., Height: 8 ½ in.

The deep red lacquer is thickly applied to a wooden base and carved in high relief. The slightly domed lid is carved with a garden scene consisting of pavilions and scholars in a landscape of thick foliage, trees, various rocks and a small bridge. The sides of the box are carved all around with a repeating floral design and the base is carved overall with diamond shaped florets. Minor cracking from age is present on the lid and around the sides of the box often seen on 17th and 18th century wares. Two corners on the sides of the lid appear to have restoration to the vertical edges. The raised lip on the interior bottom shows considerable wear and loss to one end. There is wear on the base and on the interior that is consistent with age and use. The lacquer work is generally in good condition for its age.

Length: 6 ¾ in., Width: 5 ¼ in., Height: 2 ¼ in.

Glazed overall with a blue-tinged clear glaze with underglaze iron oxide coloring the peach and portions of the monkey. The base is unglazed. Molded with a large opening for brushes and two smaller apertures for holding flower stems. Very good condition, minor wear but no damage or repairs.

Height: 2 3/4 in.; Width: 3 in.

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.

This jade tube is a celadon green with lighter inclusions that create mountain landscape-like patterns throughout. It has a soft even polish overall, including the interior and it is slightly translucent when held to the light. There are a few small nicks and minor abrasions to the rims, but it is in generally good condition. The interior is cut slightly off-center.

Height: 3 ¾ in., Diameter: 2 1/8 in.

This shallow form bowl is decorated in a famille rose palette with vibrant overglaze enamels in the standard pattern known in the West as pseudo tobacco leaf. The form and paste of the dish is that of the Qianlong Period. There are some small nicks to the rim from use and a tiny rim nick infill. A small oval glaze crack shows on the front rim with a tiny associated restored chip. Otherwise, it is in good condition with only minor wear to the enamels. Acquired from an heir of the Ira and Nancy Koger collection.

Diameter: 8 ¾ in., Height: 1 ½ in.

Small, globular form brushwasher thinly potted and fits comfortably in the hand. Covered inside and outside with a smooth, even clear glaze stopping just short of the narrow, exposed footring that reveals the white porcelain paste. One side is painted in several colors of overglaze enamels depicting a floral arbor. The other side is decorated with three tiny stylized bats. The base is slightly recessed, glazed and has an iron-red enamel six-character Qianlong sealmark.

Height: 2 7/8 in.; Diameter: 3 ¼ 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.

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.

Lid is suffused with brilliant apple-green that deepens to an emerald tone and the top is carved overall with an intricate stylized dragon design. Encircling the lower pedestal is a key fret incised carving. The insides of the box and lid are well-hollowed. This box was intended for cosmetics or possibly for seal paste. There is a small nick to the inner rim of the box but is in overall good condition, retaining its original lustrous polish.

Acquired from a prominent North Carolina estate in the 1980s.

Height: 1 13/16 in.; Diameter: 1 7/8 in.

The exterior of each bowl is decorated with nine butterflies in flight in brilliant funcai enamels. The lower portion of the bowls just above the footring is encircled by a band of lappet panels, and below the rim of each is a Greek key band all in the same enamel palette. The interiors are undecorated, and glazed with the same even, white glaze as the exteriors. The bowls rest on a raised footring. The bases are glazed and marked in overglaze iron-red enamel with six-character Guangxu marks. Both bowls are in excellent condition.

Diameter: 4 7/8 in., Height: 2 ¼ 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 dish is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a design of three men playing a game of “go.” It was recovered from a shipwreck site in the Southern Philippines off the coast of Mindanao. There is a slight pitting to the glaze overall from years of submersion. There is also a tiny rim chip and very small areas of rim fritting. The glazed base displays a hastily drawn seal mark expressing luck or good wishes. The footring is unglazed exposing the white paste.

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

White glass made to imitate jade, good condition.

Diameter: 3 3/8 in. ext., 2 5/8 in. int.

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.