SALE Four Chinese Han /Three Kingdoms Glazed Entertainers + TL Test

This very rare group of glazed pottery entertainers was made during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220 - 265) or possibly the earlier Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220). The group comprises two female figures and two male figures. They are made from a reddish-brown pottery and coated in an amber coloured glaze that is slightly crackled. The glaze is mostly quite thick, apart from on the back of the figure standing with his legs apart where it is much thinner and has degraded to a matt pale yellow. The glaze falls short of the base of all four figures. The faces remain unglazed and have been "cold painted" in white and black pigments.

The two female figures are looking up with their heads raised and arms up as though they are holding a rope that someone is climbing (this is admittedly speculation): in each hand has been made a purpose-made hole.

The two male figures, one wearing a robe, the other apparently bare-chested, are standing with their arms outstretched as though gripping something in their hands (again, each hand has a purpose-made hole).

Heights of the female figures are 15.5 cm; heights of the male figures are 18 cm. Overall condition is very good. However, as can be seen, part of the left hand of one of the male figures has been broken and lost and close examinations suggests there may be a repair to an arm of both a male and female figure. Any repairs, however, have been performed to a professional standard, as we hope our images how.

As with many of our finer and rarer items, we have had one of these figures tested by Oxford Authentications, the ONLY testers of ancient pottery accepted by ALL major dealers, auction houses and museums worldwide, and the Thermoluminescence Analysis Report that will accompany this group is shown with our images; this confirms the date of manufacture as "between 1200 and 2000 years ago".

To be kept together as a group, not to be sold separately.

As with all items offered for sale on our website, this group is available for inspection at our gallery here in Brighton.  

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