Large Early 20th Century Blue Flambe Glaze Pot

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The pot is called a brazier. It was made in the first half of the 20th century and made in … Read more The pot is called a brazier. It was made in the first half of the 20th century and made in Yixing in China, and exported to Japan to be used as a room warmer. The ceramic material can withstand high heat and it would have been filled with hot coals to warm a room in winter.

The pot is handmade and solidly built in a round shape with an uneven rim. It has a thick round lip and a slightly irregular, almost flower-like opening. The entire pot is covered with a thick unctuous blue flambe glaze, dark and glossy . The blue shifts in tone, showing hints of turquoise and subtle speckling, giving it a metallic or oil-slick effect. The interior is deep black with a reflective sheen, and light catching in the center. The clay is the purple clay of Yixing, the ceramic center of the Yangzi River region. The flambe glaze is very similar to the ones used in Shiwan, the pottery center of South China.

***I was just in Yixing in March 2026 . Yixing has been the pottery center of China since the 19th century and it was from this kiln this pot was made. A similar pot is on display in the Yixing Art Museum with the information in Chinese characters as illustrated in the last two images. See less