This large and rare porcelain dish, of the type known as "Swatow" ware, was made during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty at the Zhangzhou kilns in Fujian province where many such wares were made for export around South-east Asia...
This very rare and unusual vessel was made during the latter part of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220) and most likely comes from the south central region of China. It is made from a sandy-yellow high-fired pottery, almost like stoneware, and is of cylindrical form with the wide mouth tapering in. Around the shoulder are four sturdy horizontal loop handles. The base is flat, albeit with some firing bubbles...
This rare pottery model of Fuxi and Nuwa was made during the Six Dynasties period (AD 220 - 589). It is solid pottery and takes the from of a two-headed snake with two feet at each end. It has been "cold painted" with a creamy-white pigment, traces of which still remain.
Fuxi and Nuwa are, according to Chinese legend, the ancestors of human beings. They are usually depicted as a figure with human heads and snake body...
This very rare pottery animal, that we assume to be a dog, was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is made from a grey pottery that has been "cold painted" in creamy-white and pale red pigments. It simplicity and small size suggests it made have been made as child's toy.
Length 9.5 cm (3.55 inches). Losses to ears and tail, but no obvious sign of repair or restoration.
*** TO ORDER THIS ITEM PLEASE EMAIL...
This large and "heavily-potted" dish was made in the 14th century at one of the Longquan kilns in Zhejiang province, during the Yuan (AD 1279 - 1368) or early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). It is the archetypal large Longquan celadon dish, an example of which should really be in every serious collection of Chinese ceramics.
It has a fluted cavetto and a carved peony in its centre. The celadon glaze is crack...
This pottery model of a dog was made some 2,000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) and has been excavated from Sichuan province. It is made from a relatively high-fired grey pottery. All such pottery dogs from Sichuan tend to wear a harness and this is no exception. However, whereas most other examples can look rather fierce with their mouths open showing their teeth, this example appears more "friendly" with its...
This impressive large porcelain dish was made in the late 16th century, during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty, and was recovered from the cargo of the "Binh Thuan" wreck. It is of the type known as "Swatow" or "Zhangzhou" ware. It is coated in a thick crackled glaze, the bold underglaze blue decoration featuring in the centre, a standing phoenix, surrounded by various floral patterns including pa...
This impressive pottery tile was made during the Jin Dynasty (AD 1115 - 1234). It is made from a relatively high-fired grey pottery that has been cold-painted in various coloured pigments, traces of which still remain.
Theatre, the arts, music, performances were a very popular part of life during this period in Shanxi province, from where this tile has been excavated. The subject of this tile is a particularly lively perf...
This impressive pottery tile was made during the Jin Dynasty (AD 1115 - 1234). It is made from a relatively high-fired grey pottery that has been cold-painted in various coloured pigments, traces of which still remain.
Theatre, the arts, music, performances were a very popular part of life during this period in Shanxi province, from where this tile has been excavated. The subject of this tile is a particularly lively musicia...
This very rare and unusual example of a ding tripod was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220) from a fairly high-fired pale reddish-brown pottery. It is extremely "heavily-potted" and unusually tall. It is coated in a streaky green glaze, the colour of which varies due to runs and variations in its thickness. In places the glaze has acquired a silvery iridescence, especially where thin, a result of exposure to mo...
A rare opportunity to acquire a Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1127) kiln saggar still containing its Qingbai porcelain bowl, excavated from a kiln site in the Jingdezhen area of Jiangxi province. This is one of a variety of different Qingbai porcelain wares in saggars, mostly bowls and dishes of varying sizes and patterns, that we were very lucky to be able to acquire some time ago and now offer for sale.
Northern ...
This large and impressive pottery jar was made around the 13th / 14th century, during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279) or the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Until recent years, this type of jar was almost unknown in the west with some people initially attributing them to the Liao Dynasty (same general period but in the north of China). These jars are now known to have originated from a Buddhist site in Yunnan province in the south-west of...
This large and impressive pottery jar was made around the 13th / 14th century, during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279) or the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Until recent years, this type of jar was almost unknown in the west with some people initially attributing them to the Liao Dynasty (same general period but in the north of China). These jars are now known to have originated from Yunnan province in the south-west of China.
It is ...
These exquisite Buddhist pottery items were made around the 7th century during either the Sui Dynasty (AD 581 - 608) or the early part of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). They are made from a white pottery and coated in a finely-crackled pale yellow glaze that has spots of green here and there. In places the glaze has acquired a silvery iridescence.
They comprise a dragon-handled vase (hei...
This vessel dates to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). The cylindrical body has two taotie (monster) head fixtures to which are attached rings, twisted bronze double links and the carrying handle. The cover is dome-shaped with its own ring. Vessels of this general form evolved from earlier wooden vessels made during the Eastern Zhou period that were made from bending a thin sheet of wood into a circle that were held together by circul...
This pottery jar of rare form dates to the Ban Chiang period (c. 1500 BC - AD 300). It is heavily-potted with a rounded lower body and a wide flared mouth. The body has been decorated with incised geometric patterns. The surface colour of the pottery varies from a reddish-brown to black due to uneven conditions during firing.
Diameter at mouth 12.75 cm, height 9.5 cm. It is in fine condition with no sign of any restorati...
This rare and unusual jar was made at one of the northern kilns during the 11th - 13th century. It is coated both inside and out in a thick glaze that varies in colour from chocolate-brown to black. The glaze fall short of the base on both the inner and outer surfaces. The outer body is decorated with a fluted wall and lightly incised horizontal lines that surround the jar at its shoulder. On opposing sides to the rim are two sturdy l...
This rare and interesting shallow bowl / dish was made during the 14th century. It has a raised "lotus-petal" rim and is coated in an apple-green glaze, save for a broad unglazed stacking ring around its centre. The glaze is somewhat uneven, with runs in places, its colour varying according to its thickness. The glaze is lightly crackled.
Diameter 17 cm (6.75 inches). Good overall condition: with expected surface wear and, although...
This rare stoneware bowl was made during the 14th century. It is coated in an apple-green glaze. Although not very clear, round the lower inner surface there appears to be a floral (?) pattern using a glaze-resisting method. There is an unglazed stacking band around the centre, the centre appearing the be coated in a thin yellowish wash. There are six decorative notches spread equidistant around the rim edge.
Diameter 16 cm (...
This rare high-fired porcelaneous bowl was made during the 13th / 14th century. The outer wall is decorated with a carved ribbed pattern and it is coated in a green glaze, the colour of which varies according to its thickness - there are lines of crackle in the glaze in places. The underside base is flat with a slightly recessed centre. To the inside centre is a glaze-free stacking rim, the centre of which was coated with a very th...
This fine dish was made around 1680 at the famous Jingdezhen kilns, during the Kangxi reign (1662 - 1722) of the Qing Dynasty. It is decorated in underglaze blue of quite an intense colour. The decoration to the centre panel features a grasshopper in a garden surrounded by flower blossoms. Surrounding this are more panels variously containing geometric, flowers and precious objects. To the underside is a continuing floral scroll and an artem...
This attractive porcelain dish was made during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. It has a foliate rim and has been very attractively decorated in underglaze blue of very good colour featuring a variation of the "two deer in a garden" pattern. Although this pattern is well-known, in addition, around the rim, are various leaf & foliage patterns as well as three birds, a rare feature on such dishes. The under...
This domestic bronze cooking vessel was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly earlier. The bottom half is semi-spherical, designed to sit in a fire; indeed there are still remains of carbon deposits to the base. It has two handles on opposing sides at the shoulder. Across the base and up the sides is the mould casting line. There is malachite (green) corrosion particularly to the inner surface, with a few ...
This pottery model of a male attendant, or servant, was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). The figure stands with hands clasped together under a wide-sleeved robe. Note the presence of purpose-made holes above and below where the hands would be where a flag or banner (?) would originally have been placed diagonally, and presumably made of wood so long since rotted away and lost. It is made from a relatively highly...
This pottery figure of a male servant or attendant was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). It is quite "heavily-potted" and made from a dark grey pottery that has been relatively highly-fired. The tall slim figure stands in attendance with hands clasped together beneath a long robe. It has been coated in a greyish-white pigment with details picked out in black and red pigments. All of the pigment is original and ...
This impressive and very rare pottery model of a warrior was made during the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 265 - 316). It is quite "heavily-potted" and made from a fine-grained grey pottery that is relatively highly-fired, having an almost metallic ring to it when tapped. The surface has been "cold painted" in a base coat of white pigment. The facial features, head and hair have been painted in a black pigment on to...
This impressive and very rare pottery model of a warrior was made during the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 265 - 316). It is quite "heavily-potted" and made from a fine-grained grey pottery that is relatively highly-fired, having an almost metallic ring to it when tapped.
He is wearing an armoured jacket, belted at the waist and an elaborate helmet whilst standing legs apart to steady himself, in the act of throwing a spe...
This rare and interesting pottery figure was made during the early part of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a grey pottery that is solid (as opposed to being hollow as are the majority of Tang figures) and relatively highly-fired. It has been "cold painted" in various coloured pigments. The figure represents a soldier, or possibly a guard, who is standing to attention with his left hand held out. In this ha...
This impressive architectural ridge tile figure was made during the latter part of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), most likely in Shanxi province. It depicts an official figure or guardian / deity figure standing on top of swirling clouds. It is coated in thick green, turquoise, black and straw-coloured glazes.
Height 38 cm (15 inches). There are minor losses to the extremities, as should reasonably be expected for such an item, but ...
This pottery model of a musician was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220) and excavated from Sichuan province. It is made from a reddish pottery and quite "heavily-potted". A variety of figures of this general type are well documented. They are often musicians and entertainers, and were made in a variety of sizes, the smallest being around 15cm in height. This particularly example is much larger with a...
This large and rare early underglazed jar, complete with cover, was made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) at one of the kilns at Yuxi in Yunnan province. Although classed as "blue & white" ware, the colour of the underglaze cobalt blue does vary in places and the clear glaze is distinctly greenish in colour. Already a very rare type of jar, the "Three Friends of Winter" pattern around the shoulder makes it even r...
This stone panel, sometimes described as a "prayer tablet", was excavated from a Buddhist site in Yunnan province in the South-West of China and dates to the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279), Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) or possibly the early Ming Dynasty. It is one of several that we bought nearly twenty years ago to compliment our collection of Yunnan Buddhist pottery, that have since been in storage and not previously offered...
This high-fired sturdy dish with eight accompanying cups was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). The finely-crackled and thin pale straw-coloured glaze was used sparingly, covering only the inner and outer edges of the dish, as well as the inner and upper outer surfaces of the cups. The glaze is so thin that in places on both the dish and the cups it has degraded and flaked from the surface. The cups are not uniform in size a...