Catalog (320)

This large and impressive pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago 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 relatively highly-fired and has been fired to a very pleasing pale yellowish-brown colour. The upper surface has been burnished and is smooth to the touch. The lower surface has been simply yet effectively decora...

This large and impressive pottery jar dates to the Siwa culture (c. 1350 BC). It has a relatively small flat base and a wide saddle-shaped mouth. There are two loop handles that join the shoulder to the rim. The surface colour of the pottery has interesting variations in places, from an attractive deep orange to grey, a result of uneven conditions during the firing process. The clay is quite gritty and in places there are surface ...

This large and extremely rare pottery jar was made by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. This jar is of the Tangwang type and is not quite as coarse in its construction as some other Xindian vessels. It is quite "heavily-potted" with two loop handles on opposing sides ...

This fine and rare pottery model of a horse & rider was made in the 6th Century during either the Eastern Wei Dynasty (AD 534 - 550) or the following Northern Qi Dynasty (AD 550 - 577). Pottery horses from this period have a distinct style different to the more common and later Tang Dynasty equivalents.

It has been made from a fine-grained grey pottery that has been "cold painted" in a creamy-white pigment ...

This decorative pottery tile was made during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912). It is made from a dense grey pottery. The surface has been carved with an attractive floral design featuring leaves and a flower blossom within a circular border. It has been cold-painted with various coloured pigments. It would once have been part of a series of similar tiles adorning a wall.

It is quite large, measuring around 27 cm (10.5 inches) ...

This decorative pottery tile was made during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912). It is made from a dense grey pottery. The surface has been carved with an attractive floral design featuring two flower blossoms within a circular border. It has been cold-painted with various coloured pigments. It would once have been part of a series of similar tiles adorning a wall.

It is quite large, measuring around 27 cm (10.5 inches) square. ...

This large pottery tile was made during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912). It is made from a dense grey pottery. The surface has been carved with a scene featuring an official holding a hu (an audience tablet) whilst being cooled by a servant. In front of the official is a censer with wisps of incense smoke coming from it. It has been cold-painted with various coloured pigments.

It is quite large, measuring around 31 cm (12...

This rare and unusual pottery tile depicts an armoured warrior. It was made during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279). It is made from a grey pottery that has been "cold painted" in a base coat of white pigment on top of which have been applied various different coloured pigments. This tile depicts a formidable warrior. Note the thick-set facial features, also the headgear and the decorative armour he wears. He stands with fists clench...

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 pottery jar was made in the 12th / 13th century 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 buff-coloured pottery and is of globular form standing on an integral foot. Both cover and jar are decorated with bands of incised parallel lines, on the jar forming lotus leaf shapes. Some of the...

This rare pottery jar was made in the 12th / 13th century 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 buff-coloured pottery and is of globular form standing on an integral foot. Both cover and jar are decorated with incised lines, on the jar forming lotus leaf panels. Some of the lines on both the...

This rare pottery jar was made in the 12th / 13th century during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279), or possibly the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368).

It is made from a buff-coloured pottery and is of globular form standing on an integral foot. The upper part of the jar has been decorated with incised lotus leaf panels each containing a tree pattern. Above these is an incised geometric pattern surrounding the mouth. To the lower ...

This impressive pottery model of a Bactrian camel was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a pale buff-coloured pottery, has good detail and has been "cold painted" in a base coat of a creamy-white pigment with details picked out in brown, red and black pigments. The camel stands upright and alert with its head held high and turned a little to its left. Its two humps are particularly prominent.

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This unusually large and impressive pottery model of a Bactrian camel was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is heavily-potted and made from a fairly high-fired buff-coloured pottery. In places on the surface are firing cracks, likely due to the thickness of the pottery. The surface has been cold-painted in a yellow-ochre coloured pigment on top of which have been painted reddish-brown and black pigments for th...

This impressive pottery horse and rider was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a buff-coloured pottery and is quite "heavily-potted". It has been cold-painted in various coloured pigments, good traces of which still remain. The horse stands upright and alert with its head and neck turned very slightly to its left. The rider, with his body turned to the left, has his arms raised as though ho...

This large and attractive pottery jar was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is fairly "heavily-potted" and made from quite a high-fired pale grey pottery the surface of which has fired to a dark reddish-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 horizont...

This large and attractive pottery jar was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is made from quite a high-fired grey pottery. It has wide globular body and a short flared out neck. The outer surface below the shoulder has been decorated with repeated impressed geometric patterns comprising, at the top of each impression, two horizontal lines below which are many vertical lines. In places on the surface are f...

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 ...