The stand and bowl of this vessel were cast separately and permanently joined at the time of production. The lid is topped with a lingzhi fungus. The entire piece is covered in an old brownish patina and small areas of verdigris. The lid fits very well into the grooved rim of the bowl. The lingzhi is cast as part of the lid, and has some areas of orange-ish patina. The interior of the stand is dark gray with some verdigris and the bowl interior is also a grayish tone. There are s...
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. ...
Shallow form with brilliant turquoise color. The cavetto is molded with thirty-two chrysanthemum petal-form flutes that appear convex on the back-side of the dish and encircle the flattened base. A “China” mark is needle-incised on the base. Very good condition. Acquired 25 years ago in North Carolina from an estate that was involved with the tobacco trade in China. It is rare for a large, delicate flat-rimmed dish, such as this one, to survive without damage.
Diamete...
This fine "kraak" porcelain dish was made in the late 16th century, during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty, or possibly slightly later. The dish has a moulded lobed cavetto and is decorated in underglaze blue of good colour. The rare and unusual pattern features a singing bird sitting in a blossoming tree (no such dish with this pattern appears in the "bible" of kraak porcelain, "Kraak Porcelain" by Maura Ri...
This very rare pottery model of a bird, either a duck or a goose, was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is "heavily-potted" and made from quite a high-fired grey pottery. The duck stands with its neck and wings stretched, as if in the act of preparing to fly. Note the detail, especially to the wings, with the tiger heads. The style and decoration suggest this model was based on a bronze example. On the...
This attractive pottery jar of "hu" form was made some 2,000 years ago during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). It is quite "heavily-potted" and made from a reddish pottery, coated in a finely-cracked green glaze that varies in thickness. In places it has acquired a silvery iridescence, a result of exposure to moisture during its long burial. There are lightly incised decorative bands surrounding the body in places. To the flat base are the typ...
This rare blue & white porcelain jar of hexagonal form was made during the 16th Century. It is quite "heavily-potted" and attractively decorated in underglaze blue of good colour. Each of the six sides features a chrysanthemum blossom (the emblem of friendship and representing a life of ease). Around the shoulder is what is possibly a cloud collar (representing long life). As can be seen, on the edges of the sides there is "frit...
This attractive small round porcelain box of rare and unusual form was made during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. The underglaze blue decoration is of a particularly good colour. The decoration to the conical cover comprises two chilong dragons. The lower section is decoration with a floral pattern.
Diameter 5.5 cm. It is in fine condition with no repair or restoration, altho...
This attractive small porcelain jar, a brush washer, was made during the Hongzhi reign (1488 - 1505) of the Ming Dynasty. It is relatively heavily-potted and decorated in underglaze blue of good colour in a pattern featuring scrolling lotus blossoms. Both inner and outer surfaces are coated in a finely-crackled glaze. The foot and recessed flat base remain unglazed.
Diameter 6.75 cm. It is in very good condi...
This attractive porcelain dish was made during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. This particular type of ware is referred to as "Zhangzhou" or "Swatow" ware and it was commonly exported around south-east Asia. The underglaze blue decoration is of very good colour. The pattern features a chilong (qilong) dragon in a landscape with three further dragons around the cavetto interspersed with p...
Arguably the most desirable and collectable pottery sculpture from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 – 906) is the female courtier, or "fat lady". This figure is a large and particularly elegant example.
The lady stands upright with her hands clasped together under her voluminous robe. Note also the elaborate hairstyle but most striking are the fine details to her face: simply exquisite! It is made from a buff-col...
This oversized vessel, in the form of a "cocoon jar", was made during the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC) or possibly a little earlier during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC), but even then by the Qin state. It is made from a fairly high-fired fine-grained grey pottery. The whole of the outer surface of the body is decorated with repeated cord or woven impressions with vertical bands then being made aro...