Curated Pair of Late 19th Century Chinese Porcelain Bowls - Beijing Night Market Provenance

Details

Description

An extraordinary pair of Chinese porcelain bowls with remarkable provenance, recently acquired from the estate of a Vermont farmhouse owner … Read more An extraordinary pair of Chinese porcelain bowls with remarkable provenance, recently acquired from the estate of a Vermont farmhouse owner whose extensive travels through Asia, Africa, and Europe resulted in a fascinating collection of global treasures. These bowls carry a particularly compelling history - purchased at Beijing's legendary Night Market, where old antiques were sold to collectors in the tumultuous period just after the Chinese Revolution, a practice that continued into the 1960s.

These elegant vessels wear their imperial past and colors with quiet dignity, bearing witness to decades of political upheaval, cultural transformation, and the resilience of Chinese artistic traditions. Each piece tells a story not just of craftsmanship, but of survival through extraordinary times.

Historical Context & Provenance

The Beijing Night Market of the post-revolutionary period represents one of the most fascinating chapters in Chinese antique collecting. During this era of dramatic social change, family treasures and imperial artifacts found their way to these nocturnal markets, where collectors could acquire pieces of China's artistic heritage. Our bowls emerged from this unique historical moment, carrying with them the weight of both imperial tradition and revolutionary transformation.

The Vermont farmhouse owner who originally acquired these pieces was clearly a discerning collector, understanding the significance of obtaining authentic Chinese porcelain during this brief window when such treasures were accessible to foreign collectors.

Specifications

**Small Sauce Bowl:**
- Dimensions: 3.5" x 2.5" x 0.5"
- Condition: Excellent for age

**Large Bowl:**
- Dimensions: 6.5" x 5" x 2.5"
- Condition: Good with authentic age-related character
- Historical wear: A few old chips and one period repair

**Both Pieces:**
- Era: Late 19th Century
- Origin: China
- Material: Fine Chinese porcelain
- Provenance: Beijing Night Market, post-1949

Character & Condition

These bowls have "survived a lifetime of travel, wars, and humanity" - and this remarkable journey is part of their appeal. The larger bowl's old chips and repair work are not flaws but rather badges of honor, testament to its survival through extraordinary historical circumstances. In Chinese aesthetic philosophy, such marks often enhance rather than diminish a piece's value, representing the Japanese concept of mono no aware - the bittersweet awareness of the impermanence of all things.

Imperial Elegance

Despite their eventful history, both bowls maintain their inherent elegance and imperial dignity. The refined proportions, quality of the porcelain body, and surviving decorative elements speak to their origins in China's sophisticated ceramic tradition. They represent the kind of refined domestic objects that graced Chinese households during the late Qing Dynasty.

Collecting Significance

This pair represents several important collecting categories:
- **Chinese Export Porcelain** - pieces that left China during turbulent times
- **Night Market Treasures** - artifacts from a unique historical collecting period
- **Survivor Pieces** - objects that endured through major historical upheavals
- **Estate Collection** - part of a thoughtfully curated lifetime collection

Display & Use

Perfect for:
- **Collectors** of Chinese porcelain and Asian decorative arts
- **History enthusiasts** drawn to pieces with documented provenance
- **Functional use** - the smaller bowl perfect for condiments, the larger for serving
- **Decorative display** - showcasing imperial elegance and historical significance
- **Meditation on impermanence** - beautiful examples of survived beauty

Cultural Heritage

These bowls embody the resilience of Chinese artistic traditions, having survived not just physical journeys but also the cultural revolutions that swept through 20th-century China. They represent the quiet persistence of beauty through chaos, the way fine craftsmanship endures beyond political upheaval.

Care & Preservation

Given their age and historical significance:
- Handle with appropriate care for their advanced age
- Display safely away from high-traffic areas
- Appreciate the authentic wear as part of their historical narrative
- Clean gently with soft cloth only

A remarkable opportunity to own Chinese porcelain with extraordinary documented provenance - pieces that survived revolution, traveled continents, and now offer new collectors the chance to continue their remarkable journey through history.*

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