Late Qing Green-Glazed “Drunken Immortal” Ceramic Water Dropper

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A charming late Qing to early Republic green-glazed water dropper modeled as a reclining Drunken Immortal. Shown resting on his … Read more A charming late Qing to early Republic green-glazed water dropper modeled as a reclining Drunken Immortal. Shown resting on his right elbow with eyes closed, he cradles a wine vessel across his belly while a sword stretches along his back—a playful, folk-kiln interpretation of the Daoist wanderer known for wine, wit, and unrestrained freedom.
The figure’s hollow interior and open cavity allow it to function not only as a traditional water dropper, but also as a small brush washer, a dual use commonly found in southern scholar’s-desk wares. Molded in a vivid copper-green glaze associated with Guangdong and Fujian kilns, it retains its original kiln adhesions and firing marks, with a small glaze flake noted at the front.

JUNE'S THOUGHTS
There’s something irresistibly endearing about this little figure. It’s the kind of piece you can tuck almost anywhere—a bookshelf ledge, a small tray on a console, even the corner of a desk—and it quietly transforms the space. Friends notice it. They lean in. They ask, “Who is that?” And suddenly you’re sharing the story of the Drunken Immortal, a wandering spirit of wine, poetry, and freedom.

COLLECTOR’S NOTE
Reclining wine drinkers appear in late Qing folk ceramics, but examples designed as working scholar’s tools are notably scarce. This figure draws on the iconography of Li Tieguai, the eccentric Drunken Immortal whose carefree disposition and association with transcendence made him a favorite among literati. Dual-purpose vessels like this—serving as both water droppers and brush washers—reflect the playful flexibility of southern coastal kilns active from the 1880s through the early 20th century, where practical studio wares often carried symbolic and narrative charm.

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