Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese (180)

This incense-burner was originally lacquered a reddish brown tone with traces remaining, and has small areas of verdigris on the base and handles. The interior has some verdigris and encrusted ash. The base is cast in the center with an archaistic style six-character Xuande mark. The overall surface is darkened and has worn unevenly from age and use. A design of two opposing phoenix birds wraps around the body in shallow incising work. Overall good condition. Acquired in England in the 1970s.

Diameter: 3 7/8 in., Height: 3 in., Weight: 467 grams exactly, about 1 pound.

Painted in a rich cobalt blue under the glaze with rapid brush strokes in a zenga-like manner, depicting a scholar in his studio. The literatus leans against his table on top of which is placed a brush pot and incense burner. Part of his garden is visible in the background and a six-character poem is seen penned on the upper-left. The back is painted with four stylized designs, and the base has a hastily-drawn two-character seal mark within a double circle The footring is unglazed, revealing the hard white paste that is now somewhat obscured by old soiling. The dish is in very good condition, having no chips, cracks, or restorations.

Diameter: 7 3/8 in., Height: 1 ½ in.

This semi-translucent stone is carved in high relief on the bottom in the form of a lotus leaf with pods and buds and stems. It is jade-green in areas and almost clear in others and it shows the numerous flaws running through the stone typical of so-called green quartz (actually fluorite). There are numerous chips and losses around the rim edges. It is accompanied by a fitted carved hardwood stand that has losses to two of its feet.

Length 7 in., Width: 4 ¾ in., Height: 1 3/8 in.

Jar or bottle vase has a low neck with a flaring mouth and a spherical body supported on a footring. The mouth’s edge is clear glazed, showing the buff-white body. Glazed with a russet-brown rust glaze suffused with silvery-black flecks, that depending on the light, can yield tones from a metallic red-brown to silvery-purple. The footring is unglazed revealing a warm, buff-white porcelain body. Good condition, with no damages. Small flaw in the trimming on the foot is visible on the inside of the footring.

Ceramic articles with glazes imitating other materials and various special effects, such as the well-known tea dust glaze were popular in the 1700s. Rust glaze monochromes fit in this category though perhaps not seen as often as tea dust glaze pieces.

Height: 4 ½ in.; Diameter: 4 3/8 in.

The stone is of a mottled celadon to a pale creamy tone. The interior well appears to have originally been covered in lacquer, with some remnants still visible. The stone retains a soft polish and patina from handling. The round base is slightly raised and the piece fits very very nicely in the hand. Good condition, no chips or cracks.

Diameter: 2 ½ in., Height: 1 ½ in.

These cups all have slightly flaring sides and are well-potted with thin rims. The sides are decorated with a repeating floral design in underglaze cobalt blue. The bases are glazed and the narrow footrings are unglazed, exposing the fine, white porcelain body. A hairline crack can be seen on the one of the cups, approximately one inch long, otherwise they are in good condition.

Height: 2 ¾ in.. Diameter: 3 1/8 in.

Originally used as a traditional folding fan, its creases are clearly visible as is also the wear and paper losses, particularly along the edges. The painting was removed from its bamboo supports many years ago and mounted on a scroll or screen. The mounting can be seen on the back and is also visible as a thin border along the front edges, and remnants of a mulberry paper backing are lightly attached to the back on top of the old scroll mounting paper. The scene is of two women in a garden. One holds a fan while the other is involved in writing with her calligraphy implements laid out on the stone in front of her. The colors – pinks, blues, reds, green and yellow, all pleasantly muted with age, are brushed onto an aged brownish yellow background.

Length: 17 ½ in., Height: 6 ¼ in.

This pair of soft paste porcelain ovoid jars are decorated in underglaze cobalt blue of a strong sapphire tone. Both jars are decoarted with identical designs of foo lions at play with various stylized cloud elements filling in the background. Surround the neck is a thin line design that forms a six-pointed star when viewing straight down from the top. The necks of both jars are unglazed and originally would have had dome-shaped lids. The bases of both jars display well-written horizontal six-character Kangxi marks surrounded by double circles. The jars are covered in a clear glaze with a very fine crackle that has darkened with age, and over the buff colored body yields a pleasant creamy tone against the blue. The interiors are also fully glazed. Overall, both jars are in very good condition without cracks or restorations. There is a tiny glaze bumb from the firing on one. The footrings are unglazed and have darkened from age and use. Some staining on the necks is present from use. Purchased in Kyoto in the mid 1970s.

Height: 5 ¼ in., Diameter: 4 1/8 in. (both)

Both finely potted bowls are covered with a lustrous clear glaze, then painted in a broad palette of overglaze enamels. The thousand flowers design, known in Chinese as jiacai (mingles colors), covers the entire exterior of each bowl from the foot to the rim. The flowers include lotus, peony, hydrangea, chrysanthemum and more. The small spaces between the leaves and blossoms are filled with gold enamel. The interior of each bowl is decorated with five bats (wufu) surrounding a shou medallion, all in iron-red and gold enamel. The footring is unglazed, exposing the fine white paste and the base is glazed and marked with the six-character Guangxu mark in regular script in iron-red. Both bowls are in good condition with only some minor wear to the gilt enamel on the mouth rims.

Height: 2 3/8 in.; Diameter: 4 ¾ in.

This toggle is carved from a single piece of carnelian agate of a rich brownish-orange tone and utilizes the naturally occurring white layer to produce a cameo of an elderly man, possibly a Taoist figure. The reverse is carved with a monkey climbing a banana tree with what appears to be a ruyi fungus. There are several holes or pits incorporated into the design, three of which are carved through allowing for attachment to a cord or chain. The deep colored stone has a few areas of lighter and darker shades running through it, and a few minor flaws. Acquired in the 1960s from a South Carolina collection.

Height: 1 5/8 in., 1 ¼ in., Width: 1 ¼ in., Thickness: 7/8 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 piece is in one of the eight prescribed peach bloom shapes that were designed for the scholar’s table. The base is marked with a properly written six character Kangxi mark in underglaze blue. This pot is well-potted in conformance with the shape of these vessels, rising from a slightly demarked foot visible on the outside as a light trimming line. The walls bulge outward and turn in at the shoulder which rounds to a depressed mouth opening. The glaze is largely of a mottled mushroom tone with areas of oxblood streaking. Small splashes of light green and dots of darker brilliant green break through the mushroom toned glaze in several areas. The base and outside are glazed in a clear glaze of pale greenish-blue tint. The base is slightly recessed and the delicately trimmed foot is unglazed exposing the smooth white porcelain body. The mark is written in a clear rich blue cobalt. Though this piece has no chips or repairs, there are two hairline cracks that extend across the top and down opposing sides. The cracks are not discolored, are not noticeable on the interior and not readily noticeable on the exterior unless the locations are known. There are a few tiny pin pricks in the clear glaze on the base, typical of those seen on eighteenth century porcelains. The presence of the crack is reflected in the pricing.

Height: 2 ¼ in.; Diameter: 3 3/8 in.

Glazed overall with a blue-tinged clear glaze with underglaze iron oxide coloring the peach and portions of the monkey. The base is unglazed. Molded with a large opening for brushes and two smaller apertures for holding flower stems. Very good condition, minor wear but no damage or repairs.

Height: 2 3/4 in.; Width: 3 in.

This figure is press-molded in the traditional manner of blanc de chine sculptures from late Ming times through the Nineteenth Century. It is well-modeled from highly refined, very white porcelain. The interior is unglazed revealing the fine white body. The figure has a glossy creamy white appearance from the fine, evenly-applied clear glaze. She sits with one knee slightly raised and hands concealed by the flowing robe. A beaded pendant adorns the chest. The facial features are very well modeled down to the subtle pupils of the eyes. The individual strands of hair are incised over the entire coiffure and topknot is covered by the loosely flowing hood. The figure sits in a meditative attitude with a pleasing beatific expression on her face. Several clay shrinkage cracks occur on the interior but do not extend to the exterior, which is characteristic of many blanc de chine wares. These cracks occur during the drying or firing processes and have no effect on the exterior appearance. There is a minute glaze crack on the hood that is not noticeable unless the location is known. There are a few small pinholes in the glaze also characteristic of old Dehua wares. Otherwise, very good condition with no restorations.

Height: 11 ½ in.; Width: 7 ¼ in.

This piece, probably made in southern China is glazed on the outside overall except the base and base with a lustrous translucent emerald green glaze. The glaze stops just short of the foot in a thickened curtain effect of gloss and deep green tone. The interior is unglazed though the flaring mouth rim and interior of the neck is covered with glaze that displays a subtle bluish mottling. This piece is potted from a pale buff stoneware clay now largely obscured by soiling from use and age. Very good condition overall having no damages or repairs. Some dark soiling remains on the glaze and base.

Height: 4 in.; Width: 4 ¼ in.

This two-part buckle is formed with a dragon head clasp on one piece, and the other is slotted for hooking under the dragon's head. Each has a central medallion cast in low relief of a double gourd “magic elixir” bottle. Both pieces are finished with a stylized bat motif. The underside of each has two attached pieces to receive the belt. Much gilding remains on the fronts, though worn. The reverse of each is ungilded and has old natural patina from use.

Clasped length: 3 ¾ in., Width: 7/8 in.

This square form wine cup is lined with silver with a silver rim, now darkened from tarnish. The sides and foot are lacquered black and inlaid with abalone mother of pearl. The sides of the cup flare outward from the square foot and each displays a stylized scene of rocks, people and seascapes. There are some minor age cracks to the lacquer and a few pearl losses. The exterior base is unlacquered and appears to be metal – probably lead.

Height: 1 5/8 in., Width: 2 ¼ in. square.

The even-toned stone is somewhat translucent and carves on both sides with a flower basket design. It is reticulated with rather simple carving and incising to produce a dense and almost abstract design. The condition is very good with no chips or breaks. There is a natural fissure occurring in the top of the basket in the center of the stone.

Length: 3 in., Width: 2 in., Thickness: 1/8 in.