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

This two-handles stoneware vase's body is covered in a creamy slip glaze which is carved through with a peony design to reveal the light brown clay body. The entire vase except for the foot is covered in a very thin clear glaze enriching the tone of both slip and body. The light brown clay body is exposed on the footring and base. A small amount of burial earth adheres to the foot and base. It is in good condition.

Height: 8 in., Diameter: 4 ¼ in.

This opposing pair of brush pots is decorated overall with a design of objects from a scholar's studio including vases, incense burners, table screens, etc. Identical inscriptions in black enamel on each make reference to antique vessels and end with an artist's seal in red enamel. The enamels are in good condition without cracks or damages, nor any restorations. The interiors are enameled throughout in turquoise. The bottoms have a somewhat uneven turquoise enameling.

Height: 4 ¾ in., Diameter: 2 ¼ in.

This lidded box is enameled with a floral pattern on the lid and four sides. The various colored flowers are arranged against a turquoise blue ground with an overall background of geometric pattern of cloisons The exposed metal that is not enameled is gilded both inside and outside the box with the gilding having mostly worn off the wires of the flowers and background from age and use. The interior of the box and lid are all turquoise enamel as is also the exterior base. There are two areas of restoration to the enamel on the bottom and side of the interior, and also a small nick to the lid interior and some cracks to the base. The exterior enamels are in good condition with no repairs or restoration. There is a slight indentation on the long side at the far right blue flower.

Length: 4 ¾ in., Width: 3 3/8 in., Height: 2 in.

Each vase is decorated overall with various flowers on a medium-blue enamel ground within a continuous geometric fretwork pattern of gilt wires. Both the rim and base is gilded, now having some wear showing on each vase. The square area on the base is left from an old sticker removed in the past. Both vases have a melon form label body with a flaring mouth rim that is partially gilded inside. The interiors are not enameled and the old bronze has taken on a grayish patina. The condition of both is good, without dents or apparent damages. There is some of the expected pitting to the enamels and wear to the gilded cloison wires, mouths and bases.

Height: 10 in., Width: 6 ¾ in.

Used for grinding ink sticks to make ink for painting and calligraphy. These two palettes were fashioned on the potter’s wheel from dense, thick porcelain. The upper surface is left unglazed for ink grinding. The circular grinding area is slightly concave and is surrounded by a channel for water used in the ink-making process. Both are incised with a design of stylized bats encircling the perimeter of the body and glazed with a deep, vibrant cobalt blue. The buses and footrings are unglazed exposing the dense porcelain body, oxidized in places to a pale orange tone. Both pieces have old damages to the foot area, some of which have been repaired. The damages in both cases appear to have occurred in the firing process possibly from pieces of fired clay that adhered to the footring and were chipped off after removal from the kiln. The palettes are heavy and both sit flat on the table. Although they show evidence of their use and age, they are fully usable today.

Diameter: 4 7/8 in.; Height: 1 1/8 in. and 1 1/16 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 civil official's rank badge is embroidered on silk with silk and metallic wrapped silk threads, and has a medium blue woven silk backing. There is splitting to the silk background and loose metallic threads, as well as some losses to the silk backing.

Length: 17 1/2 in., Width: 9 in.

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.

Glazed with turquoise, amber and green enamels, this laughing Buddha holds his large belly with one hand, and clasps a rosary in the other. The back is unglazed and a stabilized hairline extends from the foot to the top of the base. There is a collection inventory number incised on the rear base and there is a small chip to the foot. It is accompanied by a later carved wooden base.

Height: 11 in., Width: 6 ¾ 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.

This jar is well-potted pinkish-orange earthenware that is covered in a deep green glaze that has degraded in places and developed iridescence from burial. The base is unglazed, as is the interior, revealing the place orange earthenware clay body. There are three spur marks on the rim from stacking in the firing. There are no cracks or restorations.

Height: 5 7/8 in., Diameter: 6 ¼ in.

Set of six glazed miniatures made for an altar to be interred in the tomb of an upper-class person. Made in the shape of nuts, vegetables, a boar’s head, ingots and long rolls to provide symbolic sustenance in the afterlife. A few minor chips and some soil from burial, otherwise good condition.

Size: Length, Height

Logs: 2 ½ in., 2 ¼ in.

Boar’s head: 2 ½ in., 2 in.

Walnuts: 1 ¾ in., 2 3/8 in.

Vegetables: 1 7/8 in., 2 ¼ in.

Ingots: 1 ¾ in., 1 7/8 in.

This orange-brown pottery brush pot, possibly produced at the Yixing Kilns, is hand-sculpted to simulate an old gnarled tree trunk with various crevices, stumps of limbs and peeling bark. It is incised with two Chinese characters, one in archaistic style, the other in cursive script. On the base, there is an impressed Guangxu sealmark. Though unglazed, it has an old patina from use and possibly remnants of colorless lacquer. The interior has somewhat darkened with age and use. The base is carved with three low feet, all unglazed and showing evidence of age and use. Very good overall condition.

Height: 4 ¼ in.; Diameter: 3 ½ in.

This well-modeled figure of a recumbent ox is one of twelve figures representing the traditional Chinese zodiac. It is formed in grey earthenware and was originally carved in a thin slip of white clay, much of which still remains. The head is sculpted with an expressive face having large eyes and short, thick horns. The characteristic hump occurs on the back just behind the head. The legs are tucked under the sides with the hooves exposed. His long, serpentine tail twists around the right rear leg. There is a bit of burial earth still adhering and only a couple of small chips. The overall condition is very good.

Height: 4 in.; Length: 5 ¼ in.

Well-potted brushpot with a very carefully painted dragon and fish design in a deep sepia-toned enamel that is slightly raised on the biscuit-fired background. Like the exterior, the interior is also unglazed. The base is slightly recessed and marked with a spurious six-character Xuande mark. This piece most likely dates to the Guangxu period, 1875-1908. Very good condition with no damages or restorations. The painting is extremely well executed.

Height: 4 3/8 in.; Diameter: 3 in.

This bowl is painted overall with a floral design in orange, green, and yellow enamels with black enamel outlines. The interior rim is decorated with a similar motif, and a single flower is painted on the interior base. The foot is encircled with double lines in underglaze cobalt blue and an underglaze cobalt blue design is painted on the base. The bowl has typical rim-fritting, and there is a small chip to the interior of the foot that has been repaired, and there is some expected wear to the enamels. Acquired in Washington, DC at Kenny and Higgins Antiques, around 1980.

Diameter: 5 7/8 in., Height: 3 in.

Molded in the form of a sauce dish with an attached handle in the shape of a stylized dragon, this was an item of fairly high quality made for the Chinese market—not for export. It is covered with a thick imperial yellow glaze on the exterior and the interior is enameled in turquoise. It is raised on a tall foot of which the interior and base is clear glazed with a slight bluish tone. The footring is unglazed and the originally white porcelain now displays a brown tone from age and use. A small bit of kiln grit adheres to one side of the footring. The yellow enamel is painted over with pale green enamel decoration—very skillfully painted with a band of floral scrool work in the middle register with three red enamel open lotus flowers. The mouth is encircled with a dot and arch design in light green enamel and the foot has a green enamel panel design. The dragon handle is enameled red over which is a stylized gilded decoration. Worn traces of gilding remain on the mouth rim. There is wear to the interior and mouthrim. The overall condition is good with no damages. Remains of old tape and part of an old label are visible on the base. The stand is well-fitted and appears to be antique and carved specifically for this vessel. It is a blackish hardwood, possibly zitan.

Height: 2 7/8 in., with stand: 3 7/8 in.; Length: 5 ¼ in.

Small, globular form brushwasher thinly potted and fits comfortably in the hand. Covered inside and outside with a smooth, even clear glaze stopping just short of the narrow, exposed footring that reveals the white porcelain paste. One side is painted in several colors of overglaze enamels depicting a floral arbor. The other side is decorated with three tiny stylized bats. The base is slightly recessed, glazed and has an iron-red enamel six-character Qianlong sealmark.

Height: 2 7/8 in.; Diameter: 3 ¼ in.