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 ...
This interesting pottery jar was made during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279), or possibly the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) and has been been excavated from a Buddhist site in Yunnan province. It is made from a pale grey pottery. Decoration is fairly simple with strips of clay applied to the upper body to form five lotus leaf panels.
Height 24.75 cm (9.75 inches). Although it has not been properly cleaned since exc...
This rare and impressive stoneware jar was made during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 -1279). It is quite "heavily-potted" with the outer body and inner mouth coated in an attractive chocolate-brown glaze, that has an almost "silvery" sheen to it. The applied decoration around the shoulder features a dragon chasing a pearl. The pearl represents wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality and the moon, and is also used as ...
This porcelain bowl with flared rim was made during the 12th - 13th Century (Late Song - Yuan Dynasty). It is fairly "heavily-potted" and coated in quite a dark greenish qingbai glaze that is finely-crackled. The rim edge remains unglazed and in places has fired to a deep reddish-brown. The inner surface is simply decorated with an abstract incised pattern whereas the underside is more elaborately decorated wi...
This attractive porcelain dish, or shallow bowl, was made during the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1127 - 1279). It is coated in a finely-crackled pale greenish translucent qingbai glaze, save for the rim and flat base that remain intentionally unglazed. To the small flat base is a Chinese character in fired-on black pigment that most likely represents a name.
The upper surface is decor...
This rare pottery vessel was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220). It is made from a relatively high-fired pottery that has been coated in two different colour glazes. The upper and lower body are coated in a dark greenish-brown glaze that is finely-crackled, the colour of which varies in places. Around the waist is a band of a more traditional Han green glaze that is particularly thin and that has degraded...
This large and impressive pottery jar was made by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is quite "heavily-potted" and has been fired to a very pleasing pale yellowish-brown with the surface colour becoming more red in places. The upper surface has been burnished and is very smooth to the touch. The lower surface has been simply yet ...
This wonderfully-shaped pottery vessel, usually referred to as a "cocoon" jar was made over 2,000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). The shape, named after its similarity to the silkworm cocoon, evolved during the late Warring States period (475 - 221 BC) and then generally died out by the middle of the Western Han Dynasty. Cocoon jars were used for the storage of grain.
It is made from a relatively highly-fired grey ...
This tall pottery set comprising stand, jar and cover was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). Each part is made from a relatively high-fired grey pottery and "cold painted" in orange and white pigments, the decoration comprising geometric and floral (lotus) patterns. The stand has cut-out apertures and petals to represent a lotus flower. The cover has purpose-made holes in its upper part; it is painted with lotus lea...
This unusual blue & white porcelain bowl was made during the mid to late 16th century c.1560-1580. The outer surface remains undecorated whereas the inner surface is particularly elaborately decorated. In the centre is a standing bird, most likely a crane (a symbol of longevity), together with various plants and blossoms. The surrounding wall is decorated with a pattern featuring lotus leaf panels and tassels.
This is...
This domestic bronze cooking vessel was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly earlier. It has two handles on opposing sides of the shoulder. It is quite "heavily-cast" and the casting lines are quite pronounced, especially across the flat base. There is some corrosion, mostly to the base where it comprises mostly malachite (green) and azurite (blue). There are also black carbon deposits on the surface in places,...
This rare and attractively-shaped pottery jar of semi-spherical form was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC) or possible earlier (Eastern Zhou period 770 - 221 BC). It is made from a relatively highly-fired fine grey pottery. The lower body has been decorated with repeated cord impressions that are particularly crisp. Interestingly, there is a network of ancient root/plants growths to much of the inner s...