This deep bowl is stoutly potted, being rather heavy toward the base, with the wall thinning gradually to the slightly flaring rim. It rests on a tall, thick footring, with a deep base that is glazed down to the dense, white porcelain paste that is exposed with some kiln grit adhering. The design in underglaze cobalt blue is of chrysanthemums, grasses and three stylized bats. The interior has a broad unglazed ring around the bottom to allow it to be stacked during ...
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 rare pear-shaped vase or bottle was made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) by one of the kilns at Yuxi county in Yunnan province, one of the first places in the world where blue & white ware was produced. It is "heavily-potted" and decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with floral and leaf designs. It is coated with a clear glaze that falls short of the heavy irregularly cut foot. Similar wares were first unearthed in 1973 in Lufe...
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...
This very rare and fascinating pottery jar was made around the 13th - 14th century during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279) or possibly the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) and has been excavated from a Buddhist site in Yunnan province, at the time a particularly isolated part of China. It is made from a relatively highly-fired grey pottery the surface colour varying in places from pale to dark grey although much of t...
The primary colors utilized are a tonal range of yellows, blues and greens suggesting a spring or early summer day. The gentleman is ...
This blue and white porcelain bowl with flared rim was made during the late 15th - early 16th century (Hongzhi reign 1488 – 1505). The outer wall is decorated in underglaze blue with a honeycomb pattern. The central decoration is loosely based on a vajra (Buddhist sceptre) with various other decorations around the inner wall. It is coated in a finely-crackled glaze.
Diameter 14.5 cm. Condition is very good: there is a hairlin...
This sturdy ridge tile in the form of a seated lion-dog dates to the latter part of the Ming Dynasty (c. 1600 - 1644). It is coated in a thick and finely-crackled attractive turquoise glaze. The curved underneath of the tile remains unglazed and has the impressions of a finely-woven cloth on which it must have been placed during manufacture.
Height 22 cm. There is a chip to one ear and kiln scars on both sides of the animal's mout...
This large and impressive pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c. 2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is quite "heavily-potted" with a smooth surface and is fairly highly-fired. The surface colour of the pottery varies in places, a result of uneven conditions during firing. It has a short neck with flared m...
This fine and impressive pottery jar (hu) was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). It is made from a fairly high-fired reddish pottery and coated in a particularly attractive glossy thick streaky green and finely-crackled glaze, the colour of which varies according to its thickness. Interestingly, the drips of glaze to the mouth rim and the pooling of glaze to the flat base show that this jar was fired upsid...
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...