Catalog (40)

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 jar is incised all around the body with a bird and floral scene. A vine design encircles the shoulder, bordered by double incised lines. There is a small flower sprig on two sides of the neck with a single incised line encircling just below the mouth. The jar is covered inside and out with a pale blue-green clear glaze, stopping just above the footring. The interior glaze stops about one half inch below the mouth rim leaving the pure smooth white paste exposed, though now somewhat soiled from age and use. The base is glazed and the footring is neatly trimmed inside and out, leaving the dense white porcelain paste exposed. There is a small white drip from the kiln on the neck as seen in the photo. Some tool marks show up on the body as small divots under the glaze. A few pinpricks are also present from the firing. A very tiny nick on the rim appears to be a firing flaw rather than a chip. There are no cracks or restorations.

Height: 5 ¾ in., Diameter: 4 ¼ in.

This round, lidded container is very-well painted on the top of the lid in “fen sai” enamels with a scene of a religious figure surrounded by four children in an open landscape. The side of the lid as well as the side of the bottom half of the box are enameled with floral designs. The container sits on a slightly raised footring revealing the very white porcelain paste. The base is glazed white. An old faded black ink mark remains on the interior rim of the lid where it is unglazed. Overall very good condition.

Diameter: 3 ½ in., Height: 1 ½ 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.