Antique Chinese Porcelain Lidded Ovoid Ginger Jar With Red Foo Lion and Calligraphy C 1900

Details

Description

A late 19th C or early 20th C ovoid Chinese lidded jar featuring a distinctive hand-painted iron-red Buddhist lion or … Read more A late 19th C or early 20th C ovoid Chinese lidded jar featuring a distinctive hand-painted iron-red Buddhist lion or "Foo dog" motif accompanied by calligraphy on the back. The lions (a mama and her cub) have finely drawn faces with a bit comical expressions, and very nice shading.

The jar and lid both have a white glazed background with high-contrast red designs. The flat lid is topped by peach final. The lid also has calligraphy.

The bottom of the lid and the inside of the mouth on the body are unglazed. The base is glazed and has a stamped four-character Tongzhi seal mark. The foot is nicely cut. The paste is off-white.

Provenance: From the estate of Dr. Andres Onate, former Dean of East Asian Studies at the University of Arizona. Dr. Onate served in China for the US State Department in the early 1980s and again in the early 1990s. This item was purchased in Beijing c 1982.

MEASUREMENTS
7 ¾ in (19.7 cm) tall x 4 in (10.2 cm) diameter. Weighs 15.6 oz.

CONDITION
The body has no cracks or repair. It has customary kiln flaws, such as a few black pots. It also has a few stains. The lid is original but was broken and glued back together. There are still a couple of chips missing and excess glue is visible from the repair.

This characterful jar, with its playful lions and crisp calligraphy, is a wonderful find for those who appreciate the artistry of hand-painted Asian antiques. See less