Catalog (40)

This small but well-proportioned guan-form jar with broad shoulder tapering to a narrow base is stoutly potted as were many such late Yuan porcelains intended for export to Southeast Asia and the Philippines. This piece is decorated in the classic Yuan format of horizontal registers of primary and secondary designs; the largest register having the chrysanthemum scroll painting with the upper register around the neck displaying the often-seen classic scroll and the base with a band of downward pointing petals. The cobalt is of a grayish-blue tone suggesting that of a native Chinese source perhaps mixed with Persian cobalt. The painting, though rapid, is that of a practiced hand, and the blue has a heaped and piled effect with blackish speckles in the cobalt blue—all characteristics of blue and white porcelains of this period. The clear glaze is fairly even and lustrous with a bluish tinge. The base and footring are unglazed and three finger marks remain on the exterior base where the piece was held for dipping in the glaze. The footring is flat and beveled on the outer edge where the excess glaze was trimmed off before firing. The interior is unglazed. There are a few iron specks and pin pricks and pinholes resulting from the firing. There is a small firing flaw about 1/8 in. in diameter where a bubble in the clay erupted in the firing process. The overall condition is good. The imperfections are all characteristics of early blue and white wares of the Yuan dynasty.

Height: 3 ½ in.; Diameter: 4 in.

The slightly tapering form is sturdily potted and is enameled in grisaille with a bird perched on a wisteria branch amid roses toward the base. The scene, repeated on the broad sides, is reserved in a ground of yellow enamel. The narrow ends show two wisteria branches. This composition is known on other porcelains, all of which were commissioned for the Empress Dowager. The interior as well as the base are glazed white and a scrolling design in thin red enamel is painted on the four sides of the rim. The edge of the rim is gilded, but it has mostly rubbed to a pinkish tint. A key fret design in two tones of blue enamel surrounds the rim and base. The foot is unglazed and it was fired upon four tiny stilts, the remnants of which show neatly on the base. It is undamaged and in overall very good condition.

Length: 8 5/8 in., Width: 6 in., Height: 6 in.

This shallow form bowl is decorated in a famille rose palette with vibrant overglaze enamels in the standard pattern known in the West as pseudo tobacco leaf. The form and paste of the dish is that of the Qianlong Period. There are some small nicks to the rim from use and a tiny rim nick infill. A small oval glaze crack shows on the front rim with a tiny associated restored chip. Otherwise, it is in good condition with only minor wear to the enamels. Acquired from an heir of the Ira and Nancy Koger collection.

Diameter: 8 ¾ in., Height: 1 ½ in.

This figure of a seated scholar is glazed turquoise with amber colored highlights. The back is mostly unglazed except for the original white slip coating, now darkened with age. The interior is hollow and unglazed, exposing the reddish clay body. The white slip coating continues for an inch or so into the interior cavity. The face is covered with a thin white slip (now darkened) but is otherwise unglazed. The turquoise glazed hat has a few old losses to the glaze where it has flaked , and another small, old glaze flake to the upper right arm. There are no cracks or restorations and it is generally in good condition. Acquired in the early 1980s from a Northern Virginia dealer.

Height: 8 ½ in., Width: 5 in., Depth: 2 ½ in.

Glazed with a clear glaze of slight greenish tone over a buff porcelanous stoneware body. It rests on a medium-tall footring with a base that is carved in the Song manner to a subtle point at its center. The interior has a carved rib design that is partially obscured by the glaze. An unglazed ring, exposing the greyish buff paste encircles the interior of the base. The bowl is in very good condition with no restorations, chips or cracks. Purchased in Japan in the 1970s where it was used as a teabowl.

Diameter: 6 ½ in., Height: 2 ¼ in.

This circular-form lidded box is of a type found widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia as a Chinese trade item exchanged for spices, pearls, precious metals produced by the various foreign island cultures. Small boxes such as this one were possibly intended for cosmetics or spice storage. This box is painted with a stylized flower on the lid surrounded by a hastily-painted leaf border. The base is likewise painted with two abstract floral designs. It is glazed overall with a clear glaze of slightly grayish tone. The footring is unglazed revealing the porcelain paste. The general condition is good however there are a few tiny old chips from use and some crackled areas to the glaze. There is a small glaze skip to the lid rim and general soiling from use or burial.

Height: 2 3/8 in.; Diameter: 3 ¼ in.

This globe-shaped vase is decorated overall in gilt enamel in a floral pattern. It is raised on a low footring and glazed white on the base. Both the foot and mouth rim are unglazed, exposing the fine white porcelain paste. The interior is covered in a clear glaze. It is in good condition, with no damage, however it leans somewhat to one side and has the expected rubbing to the softer gold enamel decoration.

Height: 2 7/8 in., Diameter: 3 in.

As with most blanc de chine figures, this piece was made in a press mold in two halves, then joined together with finishing touches added before the clay was dry. The face was molded separately then attached, and the hands and ribbon were modeled by hand. It is glazed overall except for the base with a pale blue-green tinged white glaze having a slight undulating texture. Guanyin is seated on a rock covered by her flowing robe on the back and sides. The folds of the robe are indicated by carved and incised lines. The unglazed base shows the white porcelain which appears to be like that of Jingdezhen rather than Dehua. The bluish toned glaze also looks like Jingdezhen glaze, so this piece was likely not from Dehua where figures such as this one were most often produced. This piece was likely made for a small shrine. The aperture on the middle back was perhaps used for attachment or possibly for the insertion of prayers. Overall good condition with no breaks or repairs, however there is some glaze fritting in a few places on the left sleeve, the right eyelid, the top of the hood and a tiny one to the side of the nose. Fritting like this is also often seen on Jingdezhen pieces.

Height: 8 in.; Width: 3 in.

This small bottle, probably used to hold aromatic oils, rises from an unglazed foot to a swelling shoulder, then tapers inward to a narrow neck with a slightly everted mouth. It is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a stylized, almost abstract landscape on one side; the other side has a few brief calligraphic strokes, one of which is perhaps a bat. The base and foot are unglazed, exposing the white porcelain paste which is now somewhat soiled from age and use. Bottles such as this one are found distributed throughout SE Asia as a result of the China trade. This one was said to have been found in the southern Philippines near Mindanao. Very good condition with no damages or restorations. There are a few characteristic pin pricks in the glaze.

Height: 3 ½ in.; Diameter: 3 ¼ in.

This vase is painted in green, yellow, turquoise and black enamel on a pale aubergine background, depicting various dignitary figures in a garden setting. The interior is fully glazed white, having some minor pitting and small iron specks in the glaze. The base is unglazed with areas of light orange re-oxidation from the firing, and the fine white paste is visible around the perimeter. There is a spurious Zhengde mark in black enamel on the shoulder. Overall, the condition is very good having only some general soiling from age and use. There are no repairs or restorations. Acquired from a private collection in the early 1990s.

Height: 14 1/2 in., Width: 8 ½ in.

The mouth rim of this apple-shaped soft paste porcelain jar is encircled by fifteen uniformly pierced holes. The green souffle glaze covers the exterior and continues over the mouth ring. The interior is fully glazed with a dark green souffle type glaze. The glaze has an overall lightly mottled effect from having been applied by blowing it onto the body through a tube. The base in unglazed and slightly soiled from use and age. There are two dark old tape stains visible. Overall, the condition is very good; it is rather stoutly potted so as not to tip easily and may have been intended for use as a vessel for flower arrangements.

Height: 4 in., Diameter: 6 1/8 in.

This figure of a guardian foo dog is of a natural rich brown unglazed ceramic with white glazed eyes, eyebrows, teeth, claws, and a line of spots on the spine. It is very well-modeled by hand with a highly expressive face and jaws. The chocolate-colored body is also offset by a black glazed mane and tail. The modeling represents an anatomically correct male. There is a loss to the tip of one ear, as well as the tip of the tail. The left foreleg has a clean break and has been restruck. Acquired from a dealer in California in the early 1980s.

Height: 9 ¼ in., Length 7 in., Width: 4 in.

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 firing. The center of the interior base is painted with a seal in a double square. There is an old hairline crack from the rim extending down approximately 1 ¾ inches and also a small chip to the interior rim. Among bowls of this type, this one is comparatively large. Acquired in Indonesia in the 1960s.

Diameter: 10 in., Height: 5 1/8 in.

The fine porcelain paste, decorated in cobalt blue, depicts a garden scene with bird and flowers in the center of the dish, surrounded by stylized flowers in circular cartouches. The back is divided into six panels, each centered by a splashed dot. The footring is unglazed, revealing the fine white paste, and there is a bit of sand adhering from the firing. The base is glazed and chattermarks are visible from the trimming of the clay before firing. There are a few small areas of rim fritting that are characteristic of this ware. Otherwise, the condition is very good with no cracks or restoration. Purchased in Japan in the mid 1970s.

Diameter: 5 ¾ in., Height: 1 ¼ in.

This model of a granary, molded in two parts, has a removable lid that represents the thatched roof over the cup-like base. It is covered overall in a clear greenish glaze with areas of fine crackle and evidence of burial. The interior is unglazed, and the underside of the lid is also unglazed. This piece was used as an item of internment as an offering to the deceased for use in the afterlife. It is in very good condition overall, having small areas of red staining from burial. Acquired in Kyoto, Japan in 1974.

Height: 3 ½ in., Diameter: 3 ½ in.; Body Height: 2 ¾ in., Diameter: 2 7/8 in.

This vase has a graceful, slightly tapering long neck rising from a bulbous body – a classic Song Dynasty form, but this one was produced in the Qing Dynasty in the Song style. The dark “iron wire” crackle pattern covers the entire exterior, including the base, and extends in the the mouth. The interior is also glazed. The glaze is of a thick pale grayish-green celadon type, thinning slightly to a paler gray tone on the mouthrim and stopping just above the footring where the pale stoneware clay body has burnt brown in the firing. There is a tiny old chip on the footring and two small silvery dots side by side on the lower body where an iron impurity in the clay has bled through the glaze. The footring shows some wear from use. There are no cracks or restorations. The color is very even and the vase is very well-potted and of elegant form. Acquired from a North Carolina private collection.

Height: 9 ½ in., Diameter: 5 3/8 in.

Male attendant figure made for interment to assist with the afterlife of the tomb’s upper-class occupant. Earthenware with glassy, low-fired glaze on the garment portion with some patches of silvery iridescence that have developed over time due to burial in damp tombs over long periods. This figure has an unglazed head that was originally detachable but is now fixed in place with recent adhesives. The bisque fired head has remains of pigments on the facial features and hair. There are minor flakes and chips and an old chip to the hat brim, otherwise good condition.

Height: 17 in.

This molded porcelaneous stoneware figure is covered in yellow, green and aubergine enamels with black underglaze feather details. The base is unglazed. It is in good condition with some soiling from age.

Height: 7 in.