Chinese Iron-Red Foo Dog Porcelain Stacking Box - Early 20th Century

Details

Description

An antique Chinese iron-red Foo Dog porcelain stacking box, consisting of a lid and five interchangeable nesting compartments.

It … Read more An antique Chinese iron-red Foo Dog porcelain stacking box, consisting of a lid and five interchangeable nesting compartments.

It features hand-painted playfully rendered guardian lions (Foo Dogs) in a vibrant iron-red (or alum red) overglaze enamel on the front and calligraphy on the backs. The top of the lid includes classical black ink calligraphy inscriptions and artist markings.

Stacking cylinders of this style were traditionally used during the late Qing Dynasty and Republic Period (circa late 19th to early 20th century) to store jewelry, cosmetic powders like rouge, or writing seals.

The inside of the containers and bases are glazed. The lips and foot rims are raised, nicely cut, and unglazed. The clay is well-refined.

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
6 in (15.2 cm) tall x 3 ¼ in (8.3 cm) diameter. Weighs 1 lb 3.3 oz.

CONDITION
The lid has several shallow chips along the upper edge. These appear to be mostly chips in the glaze. Two containers have chips inside their lips. The foot of one container has a chip and another has a small nick. The bottom of one container has a scratch in the glaze.
All pieces exhibit kiln flaws, such as black spots, pits and bumps. They are also fairly dirty, with paste, makeup or other residue in the unglazed feet and lips.

An elegant and highly functional example of late Qing to early Republic porcelain craftsmanship, this stacking box combines refined utility with lively decorative artistry, making it a distinctive and visually engaging piece of traditional Chinese domestic ware. See less