Catalog (192)

Made in 1984

This tall, footed vase is hand-thrown by one of the master potters of Tamba, Ichino Hiroyuki. It has knife-cut faceted sides and is glazed in iron brown on the exterior with a white-glazed interior. A “hi” mark in hiragana is on the interior of the foot. It is accompanied by its original, artist-signed paulonia wood storage box. Good condition.

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

Ming Dynasty, Jiajing Period, 1522-1566

This vase is glazed white overall with a subtle fine crackle and has two horizontal luting lines very slightly raised on the body. The base is glazed white and the very white paste of the footring is exposed. The interior is fully glazed white. Two small iron specks are present below the shoulder. Unfortunately, there is a crack on one side that has not been restored, but is restorable. However, even though there is a crack, this vase remains a classic example of Jiajing style and appears to be in good condition when displayed on a shelf. It was probably an excavated piece and has some loss to the gloss of the glaze on the cracked side, having a slightly matte finish. This piece was purchased in Hong Kong in the 1960s and acquired by me directly from the original collector.

Height: 10 in., Diameter: 5 ½ in.

Early 1700s

The interior of this dish is painted with a stylized dragon amid a concentric wave design, with the well having four elongated cloud designs. The underside has four “ruyi” fungus and a rectangular character in underglaze blue in the center. It is raised on a low foot, the base of which is not glazed, and the dense, white porcelain body is exposed. A few small pin pricks in the glaze, typical of older wares, are seen in the glaze here and there. The overall condition is very good, having no cracks or restorations.

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

Ca. early 1900s

This vase is decorated in overglaze enamels over an imperial yellow enamel ground. The base has an apocryphal six-character Kangxi mark in underglaze blue. Two stylized handles glazed in coral enamel decorate the neck. The base and interior are glazed white. The footring is unglazed. It is in good condition. Acquired from the collection of Evangeline Johnson of the Robert Wood Johnson family.

Height: 14 ½ in., Width: 11 in.

1900s

The color enhanced deep lavender jade is set in sterling silver mounts into which tiny faceted hematite stones have been inset. Each jade link has been joined by a silver Chinese character. The silver clasp likewise has a cut Chinese character and has two safety catches on each side as well.

Length: 8 in.

1800s

This circular box is well-carved with cranes and clouds in low relief on the lid and covered with an even, sea-green, translucent celadon glaze that highlights the carving. The bottom half of the box is incised with lines radiating from the base and representing the petals of a chrysanthemum flower. The base is glazed and the footring is unglazed exposing the white paste – somewhat soiled with use. The interior of the base and lid is also glazed with an even sea-green celadon tone. There is a minute nick on the interior rim of the bottom half of the box. There is some wear and soiling from use. Generally very good condition. Acquired at auction ca. 1985

Diameter: 3 3/8 in., Height: 1 ½ in.

1800s

Elegant pear-form vase with a gracefully tapering neck is raised on an elongated and subtly flaring foot. It is covered overall in a medium-blue robin’s egg-type glaze mottled with lighter and darker blues that drains toward the foot with violet-toned mottling. The base and interior are both glazed with a clear glaze that is tightly cracked. The footring is unglazed exposing the buff-colored china-like soft paste porcelain. Though similar to the robin’s egg glaze seen on hard porcelain, the glaze on this vase appears softer and more blurred, probably as a result of using a different clay body and firing temperature. There is a tiny restored glaze flake at the foot about 3/16 in. in diameter. There are some very small glaze separations as a result of the firing leaving a few buff-toned dots. Otherwise, it is in very good condition with no cracks or breaks.

Height: 9 ½ in.; Width: 5 ¼ in.

Mother nursing her child, probably from the Sawankhalok kilns. The body of the hand-modeled figure is rather hastily sculpted as is the doll-like child. This hastiness is typical of figures such as this one which were made in large numbers and distributed as fertility charms. This one, however, has more care taken in defining the facial features of the mother as well as her hairstyle. The slightly speckled stoneware is high-fired and covered with a thick crackled celadon glaze of attractive blue-tone. The glaze stops short of the lower limbs which show the pale beige stoneware with a few specks of iron impurities. The base is hollow up to the waist showing some pale brown oxidation from the firing. The base has some wear which reveals the original buff-tone of the clay. Figures such as this one were known to have been made at Sawankhalok as early as the 1300s. This one is probably somewhat later. Good condition with no restorations. There are a few small brown spots in the glaze from iron impurities in the clay body.

Height: 4 in.

Choson period, ca. early 1800s

Painted on two sides with a floral spray in underglaze cobalt blue, highlighted with copper red. Likely over-fired causing the lower body to sag on one side. The clear, bluish tinged glaze was applied thickly and ran during the firing causing the blurring of the design on one side and an almost disappearance of the design on the other side. The glaze is evenly crackled with a pale brown staining from time and use. There is an old crack on the shoulder with associated rim cracks. The footring and the glazed base have grit adhering from the firing.

Height: 8 ¾ in.

1800s

This shallow dish is well-carved translucent green jade with bands of blackish coloring with speckles of gray and white. Two handles carved as butterflies extend from the rim. It is evenly carved inside and out with the base raised on a low footring, also very well-carved. The overall pattern in the jade suggests a landscape or cloud effect. A section of the well was broken and restuck in the past, and is reflected in the price. Except for the break, the condition is good. This dish was originally in the Ira and Nancy Koger collection and was acquire from one of the heirs.

Height: 1 in., Diameter: 6 3/8 in., Width across handles: 8 ½ in.

Meiji period, 1868-1912

Shallow bowl-shaped dish is raised on a tall foot and is decorated in underglaze blue with a branch of cherry blossoms encircling the interior. The painting is well-executed and the image is possibly based on a textile design. The underside is painted with three chrysanthemum sprays and the foot is decorated with the characteristic comb tooth pattern. Dish is glazed overall in a clear glaze leaving only the footring unglazed exposing the fine porcelain paste. There are a few small glaze dimples and minor scratches from use. Generally very good condition. No cracks, chips, repairs or restorations.

Height: 2 ¼ in.; Diameter: 8 1/8 in.

Ca. early 1800s, wired as a lamp in the 1930s or 1940s

This tall baluster vase is glazed in deep oxblood red that is suffused all around with patches of pale blue ranging to lavender and purple. The overall effect is somewhat reminiscent of a landscape painting. As a lamp, it retains its original brass fittings, but one socket is an old replacement. The wiring is intact and the lamp still functions. The condition of the porcelain overall is very good, though the base was drilled in the lamp-making process.

Height of vase: 16 in., Diameter: 7 ¾ in.

Guangxu mark, ca. 1875-1908

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.

Qianlong minyao seal mark in underglaze blue on base, probably of the period 1736-1795

The decoration is executed entirely in overglaze blue enamel depicting various personal seal marks (chops). The enamel is thickly applied and well-painted. The border is encircled by a fretwork design in the same thick, blue enamel. The area immediately surrounding the enamel decorations exhibits a halo effect when carefully viewed at an angle to the light—a detail often noted on 18th century porcelains with this type of blue enamel. The rare design of seal marks relates to items made for scholars’ use and this dish was possibly intended to be a brush washer for use in an artist’s studio. The minyao mark, not written to imperial specifications, indicates this item was not produced by imperial command; however, the porcelain paste is consistent with 18th century Qianlong material. Good condition, no damages or repairs.

Height: 1 1/8 in.; Diameter: 6 1/8 in.

1800s

With an unusual European form, this oblong bowl with lid is decorated overall with a flower and butterfly design in shaded enamels on a white ground with an ultra marine blue secondary ground, as a banding around the lid and as a surround for the two flower cartouches on the bowl's exterior. A small turquoise band encircles the base of the bowl which rests on a flared foot. The interiors of both the lid and bowl are covered in a speckled, medium green enamel. The exposed metals rims are all gilded, though the exterior rims are somewhat rubbed and dulled. The interior metal retains its brilliant gold surface. The base is enameled white. Very good condition.

Length: 4 5/8 in., Height with lid: 2 7/8 in.

1900s

Each cake is molded with designs of scholars on the fronts and raised calligraphy on the reverse. The designs on the front are all gilded in two shades of gold, and the reverse has gilt seals and some script gilded as well. Each piece is unused and is in good condition.

Longest Height: 3 1/8 in., Widest width: 2 in. Box dimensions: 8 ¼ in. x 5 ¾ in.

Late 1800s / early 1900s

The shape of this lobed dish with three sides was likely inspired by ceramic forms said to be based on the shape of Mount Fuji. The shallow tri-lobed dish is set on a raised foot with its circumference painted in a continuous fretwork pattern in underglaze cobalt blue. In the center of the glazed base is a square seal-form fuku mark. The edge of the flaring rim is enameled brown. A basket of flowers in the standard Kakiemon palette is painted to one side of the interior making a pleasant asymmetric effect against the clear-glazed white porcelain background.

Height: 1 1/8 in.; Width: 6 ½ in.

1800s, possibly earlier

The body is formed by a fairly thinly turned jade tube that is fitted with a turned hardwood plug for the base. The wooden bottom is visible on the interior base of the jade tube and it is turned to form a stand that compliments the simplicity of the jade form. The jade is slightly yellowish to pale celadon and has white veining on one side with brown inclusions on the other, creating patterns resembling clouds or a landscape. The stone is slightly translucent with a satiny luster that adds to the overall effect. Purchased in the mid 1980s from a collection in North Carolina.

Height: 5 1/8 in. with base; Diameter: 2 7/16 in.