Catalog (76)

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 serpentine stone displays a yellowish buff color against a mottled blackish tone to produce a mountainous landscape effect. It is tubular in form and set upon 3 carved feet. It has a soft polish on the both the exterior and interior. The base is unpolished and exhibits its original carved surface. There are several small chips and evidence of wear around the rim, otherwise it is in good condition. It was likely used to hold short incense sticks. Acquired from a North Carolina estate in the mid 1980s.

Height: 3 ¼ in., Diameter: 1 5/8 in.

This opaque white and pale green mottled bracelet retains an overall soft polish without any apparent cracks or fissures.

Interior diameter: 2 3/8 in., Exterior diameter: 3 1/16 in.

This necklace is composed of 59 spherical beads of variegated nephrite jade connected by a ½ inch gold clasp. The beads graduate from smaller at the ends to larger toward the middle. Each bead is mottled with apple-green, white and black colors and display a soft polish from wear. Overall good condition.

Length: 18 in., Bead Size: 5 mm. to 9 mm.

Possibly made for use as a ceremonial item. Some rim fritting, one frit to underside as shown. A few pinholes and a small stain spot to the interior, otherwise good condition. Acquired in Hong Kong in the 1960s.

Height: 1 3/8 in.; Diameter: 8 ½ in.

Used as a container for red cinnabar seal paste, intended for use on a scholar's table. There are a few minor firing flaws. The lid fits rather loosely. Overall good condition with some remnants of red seal paste. Acquired in Hong Kong in the 1960s.

Height: 1 ½ in.; Length: 4 ½ in.

This circular box is lacquered in brownish black with mother of pearl inlay encircling the lid which is well-fitted to the bottom box. The top is painted in slightly-raised gilt lacquer with two characters: “fu” and “shou,” for happiness and longevity. There is light wear to the edges of the lid, inner rims and to the base, as would be expected, and also a few minor touch-ups. Overall, considering the age and use, the box is in good condition with the mother of pearl all intact.

Diameter: 8 3/8 in., Height: 2 ½ in.,

This shallow, square tray-shaped dish is covered in black lacquer and inlaid with delicate abalone mother of pearl work, with touches of red, brown and gold lacquer. A central landscape scene of rocks, plants and butterflies is set in a black cartouche thinly framed with mother of pearl. The rest of the background and interior sides are sprinkled with fine abalone shell dust which gives this dish a blue-green sparkle. Mother of pearl butterflies and flower blossoms fill the area outside the cartouche, and around the perimeter o the interior base is painted a key-fret border in gold lacquer. The sides flare outward with slight bad wing corners and are rimmed with silver. One corner appears to have some old restoration. There are some small pearl losses in places on several of the butterflies. The back is lacquered black and the base is raised on four very low feet. There are some old but stable age cracks visible on the back.

Diameter: 4 ¼ in. square, Height: ½ in.

This cylindrical seal is fashioned from a very pale yellowish-green soapstone and incised on one end with archaistic characters encircled by a shallow incised ring. Otherwise, the seal is undecorated and has a pleasant, satiny sheen from age and use. There are numerous old small chips and wear to the edges of the carved end but not on the characters. This piece has the mellow appearance of an object that was used over a long period of time. The stone is lightly veined and mottled and shows a bit of red streaking on the carved face. There is also a faint remnant of red seal paste in the incising.

Height: 3 15/16 in.; Diameter: 1 ¾ in. carved end, 1 5/8 in. top end

Having a single bail handle, the reticulated lid fits snugly and is very well cut with a design of geometric and floral patterns. The patina is of a warm, silvery tone showing the expected evidence of use and wear.

Diameter: 7 in., Height: 4 in.

This jade tube is a celadon green with lighter inclusions that create mountain landscape-like patterns throughout. It has a soft even polish overall, including the interior and it is slightly translucent when held to the light. There are a few small nicks and minor abrasions to the rims, but it is in generally good condition. The interior is cut slightly off-center.

Height: 3 ¾ in., Diameter: 2 1/8 in.

This metal box is fashioned as a model of a traditional stringed instrument having an overall punched floral design and a hinged lid. The base has an impressed seal. The surface has somewhat darkened with age. It is in overall good condition.

Length: 6 7/8 in., Width: 3 ¼ in., Height: 1 3/8 in.

This dish is painted in the “wu cai” manner with overglaze enamels combined with underglaze cobalt blue. The interior base has a design of flowers and rockwork surrounded by petal lappets around the well of the dish. Each petal contains an enameled flower decoration. The back of the dish is glazed white with no decoration but the petal lappets from the interior stand out in low relief on the back. The base is glazed, and the footring is unglazed, exposing the characteristic 18th century white paste. Overall, very good condition.

Diameter: 6 ½ in., Height: 1 ¼ in.

This bowl is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a stylized design of two birds perched on a sprig of flowers and encircled by stems covered in little round buds, giving the design an abstract quality. The base is unglazed and shows the characteristic chatter marks from the trimming, often seen on Tianqi wares. The footring is unglazed with numerous sand grains adhering. The outer sides have two hastily drawn circles and X's. There is considerable rim fritting as seen on most porcelains of this period. There is a small rim chip, also. It was probably shipped to Japan for use in the Japanese tea ceremony, shortly after it was made. Tianqi porcelains were in high demand among tea ceremony practitioners, even in the 1970s, when this piece was acquired.

Height: 2 in., Diameter: 6 1/8 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.

Dish-shaped stand is set on a rather high foot. The open center of the dish is ringed with a raised collar with the opening designed to accommodate a footed lacquer or ceramic tea bowl. Decorated in the doucai manner with a design of two four-clawed dragons chasing jewels, outlined in underglaze blue. The outlines are then filled in with colored enamels and both the central collar rim and the outer dish rim are gilded with gold enamel. The underside is decorated with concentric rings and three stylized bats in underglaze cobalt blue. The slightly rounded footring is unglazed revealing the white paste. No damages or repairs, though the gilding on the rims has wear consistent with use. Small brown iron stain on the footring from contact with the clay pad on which it was fired. Overall very good condition.

Bowl or cup stands of similar form (not decoration) often accompanied jian ware or temmoku tea bowls in the Song dynasty. Wood or lacquer stands of this sort are still used in the formal tea ceremony in Japan when serving thick tea in Song style tea bowls.

Height: 1 in.; Diameter: 4 ¼ in.
Interior diameter of opening: 2 in.

These vases of tapering square form are decorated overall in famille rose and noir enamels, each having four cartouches depicting courting scenes, surrounded by geometric and floral designs. There are four smaller cartouches on the necks with scenes of scholars and young men. The rims are thinly glazed, and the bases are unglazed. There is professional restoration to the base of the neck on one vase, and a small chip to the base of the other that was also professionally restored. Otherwise, except for minor wear to the enamels, which would be expected, the condition is good. Acquired from a family collection in Asheville, NC.

Height: 11 ½ in., Width: 3 ¾ 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.