Fine Pair of Tall Chinese Han Dynasty Burnished Pottery Vases

This fine, impressive and very rare pair of pottery vases was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly a little earlier. They are of a particularly pleasing and elegant form, the wide bodies rising up from the flat bases, then constricting into long slender necks and finally opening up into fairly wide mouths. They are quite "heavily-potted" and made from a dense fine-grained dark grey pottery, the surface o...

Rare Chinese Neolithic Pottery Tripod with Oxford TL Test

This fine and interesting pottery vessel was made over 3,000 years ago during the Chinese Neolithic or early Bronze Age. The form is of a cooking vessel and the three wide udder-shaped legs allow it to be stood in a fire with as much heat as possible being transmitted to its contents. It is not always easy to determine exactly which culture such vessels come from as similar vessels were made by various Chinese cultures. However, we un...

Fine LARGE Chinese Neolithic Banpo Cord-Impressed Pottery Amphora with Oxford TL Test

This fine and incredibly ancient pottery vessel was made over 6,000 years ago during the Banpo phase (c. 4800 - 4300 BC) of the Yangshao culture in present-day Shaanxi province. This form is probably the most well-known of Banpo pottery, if not of all Chinese Neolithic pottery, and no serious collection of Chinese ceramics should be without an example!

It has a tall cup-shaped mouth and a pointed base....

Fine Tall Chinese Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Lady with Oxford TL Test (44cm)

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...

A Fine Pair of Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Painted Pottery Tiles - Deer

This fine-quality pair of highly decorative pottery tiles was made during the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368 - 1644). They are made from a grey pottery and the decoration in relief features a pair of deer in a landscape. Note the detail to the deer, the carved and incised decoration as well as the impressed flower blossoms to the deers' bodies. The relief decoration has been cold-painted in various coloured pigments, good traces o...

Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Foreigner with Oxford TL Test

This fine and rare pottery model of a foreigner was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a red pottery that has been cold-painted in a thick white pigment with the facial details picked out in red and black pigments. This elegant figure, a groom, stands with his shoulders raised, head raised and turned to his right, one hand outstretched. Note the detail of the clothing, the headgear and especiall...

LARGE Chinese Han Dynasty Burnished Pottery Hu Jar with Oxford TL Test (206 BC - AD 220)

This unusually large and imposing pottery jar, or "hu" was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). It is made from a fine-grained grey pottery that is relatively highly-fired. This is an exceptional example of its type of fine form with its wide body and tall neck that flares inwards and then out again to the wide mouth. It has a pleasingly smooth burnished surface that in many places has a silver...

Fine Chinese Han Dynasty Pottery Amphora (206 BC - AD 220)

A superbly conceived design; jars of this general type have been found in excavations dating as far back as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BC). Although perhaps not obviously Chinese in design, this type of vessel is one of the most recognisable forms of Han Dynasty pottery and is thought by some archaeologists to be anthropomorphic, with the shape and "swirling" design of the main body based on the female human form. 

Th...

Fine & Rare Chinese Warring States Pottery Bird with Oxford TL Test

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...

Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Female Courtier ("Fat Lady") AD 618 - 906

Perhaps the most desirable and collectable pottery sculpture from the Tang Dynasty is the female courtier, or "fat lady". This fine example was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906).

The lady stands with her head turned a little to her left and tilted slightly at a quizzical" angle. She is wearing a particularly voluminous long robe. Her hands are clearly held together across her chest beneath her ...

Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Female Courtier ("Fat Lady") with Oxford TL Test - AD 618 - 906

Arguably the most desirable pottery sculpture from the Tang Dynasty is the female courtier, or "fat lady". This figure was made around the mid 8th century and is a particularly elegant example. The lady stands with her hands clasped together under her flowing robe and her head turned a little to the left. Note also the elaborate hairstyle. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a bu...

Fine Pair of Chinese Early Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Walking Horses & Detachable Riders with Oxford TL Test

This exceptional pair of pottery horses was made during the early Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). They are finely-modelled and "full of life", both in the act of walking. One has its right leg forward with head turned to its left, the other has its left leg forward with its head turned a little to its right. Each has a separately-made rider seated on a saddle, one male, one female, tha...

Chinese Ming Dynasty Glazed Pottery Sedan Chair (16th Century)

A pottery model of a sedan chair made during the 16th century (c.1550 - 1600). Made from a hard creamy-white pottery and coated in complimentary green and yellow glazes. A nice example with good detail, especially to the pagoda-shaped roof. There is an unusual incised pattern to the flat base, possibly a lotus blossom (?).

Height 24 cm. The roof has been re-stuck (it was probably originally attached to the chair just by the g...

Antique Chinese tall vase, beautiful dripping flambe glaze in purples and reds with hints of green, inside has light green glaze, Qing Dynasty (19th century). Size: 16 3/4" high x 8" wide

Large Chinese Warring States Impressed Pottery Jar with Oxford TL Test (475 - 221 BC)

This large and attractive pottery jar was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is made from quite a high-fired pale grey pottery the colour of which has fired to a pale pinkish-brown in places. It has an unusual wide mouth with a flat rim. The whole outer surface has been decorated with repeated impressed geometric patterns comprising, at the top of each impression, two horizontal lines ...

A large and very impressive tomb pottery horseman, Chinese, 1368-1644 AD. The type has been thoroughly tested and was burnt approx 500 years ago, placing it in the mid Ming period, c. early-mid 16th. century.

The pottery horseman, a higher-ranking officer, was probably originally equipped with a standard of wood, that has now decayed. He is clad in body armor in blue and torquise and wears a cone- shaped helmet. He is riding a white horse with details in torquise.

A rare to...

A Chinese jade plaque 17/18 C. very finely carved and pierced with precious objects e.g the canopy, endless knot etc.This reticulated example with its breathtaking virtuosity and delicate , meticulous detail is a fine example of earlier Chinese lapidary art. The stone is of greyish celadon hue with spots of whitish clouds and is set on the back of a hand mirror in a frame of gilt silver which is worked with a ground of filigree and multi colour enamel decoration. All is enhanced with semi precio...

Height: 6.7 cm (2.6 in)
Width: 4.2 cm (1.7 in)
Depth: 1.8 cm (0.7 in)

Fine Chinese cloisonné snuff bottle; depicts horses in rural landscapes; fine wire construction; apocryphal Jingtai mark to the base; end of spoon missing; good condition