Chinese porcelain water pot, underglaze blue

This water pot is in the shape of drum which doubles as a paperweight for painting and calligraphy. It is decorated with underglaze cobalt blue and iron oxide in a rather cursive depiction of flowers and butterflies. The side has two sections of calligraphy covered with a thick, translucent glaze, somewhat obscuring the brushwork. The base is not glazed and shows considerable wear and soiling from use. There is a line of tiny raised dots surrounding the top and bottom of the piece which are intended to represent the nail heads that would be seen on a drum. There are some glaze skips on the side and some minor nicks on the top edge and visible wear – all consistent with a scholar's item that has seen a great deal of use.

Diameter: 3 3/8 in., Height: 1 3/8 in.