Beautiful long jade necklace with lapis lazuli and large carved jade pendant
Price: £950
This is a stunning constructed necklace with a large carved jade pendant with alternating stations of jade and lapis lazuli beads. The jade beads and carving are 1920s/30s, the lapis is 1960s.
LOT 26
Chinese four panel Table Screen with embroidered silk panels, signed and with box, C20th
Estimate: £80 – 120
13d 13h 12m
£0.00
Long Art Deco necklace with spinach jade 1930s
Price: £100
This is a lovely necklace with a large carved piece of spinach jade with beads of jade, carnelian, amber and silver, ending in a Buddha figure. This necklace has been restrung using vintage elements.
Chinese carved hardwood frame, 1920s
Price: £55
This is a striking Chinese wood frame densely and deeply carved with a mixture of symbols, stylised flowers and dragons. The ground is finely incised with closely packed micro dots and on it we see two roundels resembling ‘shou’ medallions, various abstract geometric patterned shapes, scrolling flowers, mainly lotus, and two dragons at the top left and bottom right corners. The style of carving suggests early C20th work and the wood is possibly boxwood as indicated by the traces of yellow which can be seen (images 3,4,5) and are a hallmark of the type. Perhaps originally intended to hold a mirror (the composition is really too distracting for presenting a porcelain or fabric panel) this piece can be used today as its new owner wishes and will considerably enhance whatever it displays.
Translucent celadon jade recumbent horse
Price: £25
This is a lovely piece of celadon jade that is translucent carved as a recumbent horse. There are some inclusions as shown in photographs
LOT 21
Chinese Soapstone Box and Cover with Mother of Pearl Inlay, C20th
Estimate: £40 – 60
13d 13h 2m
£0.00
Chinese Porcelain Teabowl and Spoon Tray with calligraphy insciptions, 1997
Price: £15
Probably a remnant from a rather larger more extensive tea service, these two pieces of Chinese porcelain comprise a tea bowl and a small spoon tray, white glazed with calligraphic inscriptions. The writing on the tray reads ‘Tea Ceremony’ ‘Tea for the lucky ones’ ‘Those who are rich drink tea and those who are rich drink tea exclusively’ ‘Xinhele Tea’ ‘National Treasure blessing’ with a stamped iron red four character mark to the reverse. The characters on the bowl indicate the ‘Ding Chou’ year, the Chinese year of the Ox recurring every sixty years and accordingly most likely 1997 here. The admonition on the tray should, perhaps, be taken to heart by tea drinkers!
Chinese circular silk textile Panel in later European brass metal Frame, C19th/C20th
Price: £55
This is a fine quality Chinese silk embroidery circular panel, most likely cut out from an original robe as is indicated by the very feint unevenness at the edge, the black ground circular border with finely stitched blue flowers surrounding the central scene of a crane amidst tree branches with flowering lotus in the background. The detail of the embroidery work is evident throughout especially in the rendering of the crane’s feathers and the leaves of the lotus plant, implying that the original robe was a luxury production. This, combined with the fabric of the silk background, indicates that we clearly have nineteenth century work here. Perhaps the rest of the robe had not fared too well but for some reason the decision was taken to extract this sample and fit it into a glazed brass frame with its coil spring border. This has the look of the 1940s or 1950s and is probably English but its provenance cannot be absolutely certain. But the care taken at the time was entirely justified and allows us today to enjoy this fine example of Chinese embroidery work.
Necklace with soapstone pendant and amber beads
Price: £65
This is a wonderful necklace comprising amber beads with a brown soapstone pendant. Finished with amber, bone and silver beads and a tassel. This is a constructed necklace from the 1990s although the elements are from various periods.
Large Chinese eglomise scent bottle 1950s
Price: £75
This is a very unusual large scent bottle with loose glass rings and a foo dog stopper. There are two eglomise scenes on either side depicting children playing
Pair of Japanese red lacquered low stands, Taisho period
Price: £150
Pair of Japanese red lacquered low stands, Taisho period (1912-1926). The stands have a square insert on the stand with bowed supports and plain stretcher base. The upper rims are inset with abalone shell, the inset vase stands are round. With original fitted softwood carrying box with character marks on lid
Pair of Japanese Prints, C20th
Price: £25
Pair of Japanese Prints depicting geisha ladies in an interior and a garden setting with elaborate panel inscriptions.
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Pair of Japanese Imari Plates, Meiji Period circa 1880
Price: £150
Pair of fine quality Japanese Imari Plates, Meiji Period (1868-1912) circa 1880, decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gold with a typical fabric derived 'brocade' style design, the central three leaf clover shape roundel surrounded by three shaped panels with fans all on a ground of stylised scrolling foliage, the reverses plain with two concentric circles in underglaze blue next to the foot rim. The form of these plates is unusual, copying the standard design of a Chinese eighteenth century dinner plate.
Set of two vintage Chinese painted eggs in glass display boxes
Price: £25
This is a beautiful set of very detailed painted eggs mounted in glass display boxes. The eggs are decorated with butterflies and flowers and both are set in red tufted silk. Not sure what kind of bird the eggs are from. The seem small for Chicken eggs.
Japanese Kutani Teapot in a carrying Basket, circa 1900
Price: £45
A Japanese Kutani teapot, the body of broad ovoid form with two lug handles and a curved spout, fitted with a very faintly domed flush lid with a knob finial, set in a matching carrying basket of woven wicker with a metal hook and eye fastener, two ring hinges and two loop handles.
Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') porcelain was made at various factories in the former Kaga province of Japan. The earliest pieces were in a completely different style employing a palette of colours emphasising green, the so called 'Ko Kutani'. Production of this ceased around 1730, and manufacturing was not revived until the early nineteenth century when the more familiar colourings of iron red and gold were introduced. Vases, bowls and plaques are found in this style but also teapots of which this is a typical example. The decoration is of birds and flowers on a faintly craquelure glaze ground and the lid has a complementary ‘brocade pattern’ design. The base has a two character mark reading ‘ku’ ‘tani’ as is often found. The basket is of tightly woven wicker with the metal fitments as described and is probably Chinese in common with many similar examples, although the Japanese did, of course, have a basket weaving tradition of their own. Slight damage means that the ensemble has to be of decorative value rather than practical use but it remains an interesting and entertaining souvenir item from the orient.
Japanese Studio Pottery Vase, signed, C20th
Price: £75
This is a most unusual Japanese vase of elongated proportions, the slender cylindrical body rising to a narrow concave neck with a flaring rim edged in brown. The fine quality white glaze is decorated in underglaze colours of blue, copper red and green in a continuous design of flowering lotus against two horizontal double edged bands. Pronounced potting rings can be seen inside the top interior but the white glazed base is quite smooth and has a seven character mark in underglaze blue, presumably indicating the studio which produced it. Late twentieth century dating seems most likely. There are no ready parallels for this piece, although perhaps with imagination one might possibly see a form of sake bottle here, and for the time being it must be appreciated for itself as strikingly modernist example of Japanese ceramic art.
Lot of 3 vintage Chinese miniature cork groups
Price: £25
These are very delicate cork groups that also have colour added. They depict cranes and well as birds in an cherry blossom tree.
Japanese Fukagawa Imari Vase of Sake Bottle Form circa 1880
Price: £180
A fine quality Japanese Imari Vase of Sake bottle form with a bulbous body narrowing towards a broad neck with a faintly everted rim, decorated in iron red, underglaze blue and gold with the addition of green enamel. The main body with two shaped panels of flowering chrysanthemum within underglaze blue borders on a ground of stylised flowering chrysanthemum, the shoulder with panels of lotus and stylised flower heads on an underglaze blue band, the neck with further stylised foliage below plantain leaves in iron red and underglaze blue, the rim gilt. The base with a four character mark reading Koransha Fukagawa Sei ('made by the Koransha Fukagawa [factory]'. The Fukagawa kilns produced the best quality Imari items made in Japan in the late nineteenth century for export to the West. Dating here is within the Meiji period (1868 - 1912) probably around 1880. The form is unusual and reflects Sake bottle shapes produced in a variety of mediums.
A Chinese Carved Wood Figure of Budai, signed, C 19th
Price: £75
A Chinese carved wood figure of Budai shown lying on a lotus leaf. He is depicted in a typically corpulent pose as a stout, smiling man in robes with a largely bare belly, which represents happiness, good luck, and plenty. In his left hand he holds a stylised object which is probably intended to represent the 'sack of plenty' which he is seen with so often and in his right hand is a round ball either representing a pearl (symbolising health and beauty) or a gold nugget (symbolising financial happiness). There is detailed carving to his robes and the lotus leaf is lightly incised with foliage underneath. In addition there is a small signature plaque with indistinct characters. The size and form suggests that this is a 'handling' figure intended for devotional purposes and the style of decoration indicates a circa date in the late nineteenth century.
LOT 27
Japanese red lacquer Box and Cover with inset bone plaque, late C19th
Estimate: £60 – 80
13d 13h 14m
£0.00
Chinese Rice Grain Plate decorated in underglaze blue, iron red and gold, circa 1900
Price: £45
Chinese Plate of typical form with a straight flaring edge, decorated in underglaze blue with a central panel of chrysanthemum within a border of bats and a repeating geometric design, the edge with a band of diaper design and between a border of stylised scrolling floral blooms in iron red and gold with turquoise enamel highlighting. The reverse with concentric circles in underglaze blue and a 'shop mark' to the centre, the rim of the plate also with 'rice grain' decoration where the porcelain is pierced and the glaze allowed to cover the openings made. Paste and style of decoration suggest a circa date towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912) probably circa 1900.
Chinese Famille Rose Bowl decorated with ladies, Qianlong mark, Republican period
Price: £45
Chinese Famille Rose Bowl of typical deep form with a short foot decorated to the exterior with two panels of ladies seated in a stylised garden scene, the lobed borders in iron red, on a ground of densely packed floral blooms in the 'mille feur' pattern, the interior similarly decorated with peony and lotus, the exterior decoration continuing over the foot rim which is unusual. The base with an apocryphal Qianlong period mark (1736 - 1795) in iron red. The style of decoration and paste of the foot rim suggests a dating in the Republican period (1912 - 1949), perhaps around 1930 and this piece, which very loosely follows Imperial designs from the eighteenth century, was probably intended for the local market, in common with the 'Straits Chinese Porcelain' pieces also produced for the local market in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS FREE UK SHIPPING ON THIS ITEM. For international buyers the shipping cost will be reduced by the UK shipping cost, so don't worry if you are outside the UK, you still receive this benefit!
Exceptionally large Chinese Blue and White Teapot with metal handle, C19th
Price: £350
A Chinese teapot of exceptionally large size, the globular body with a short neck, a curved spout, two lugs for a carrying handle and a flush fitting flat lid. Attached to the lugs is a carrying handle in brass, probably contemporary with the date of manufacture of the teapot itself. The decoration is in vivid underglaze blue with an overall pattern of scrolling lotus and repeating white dot borders to the top rim and edge of the lid.
The form here, without a ceramic handle but with an attached carrying handle, suggests a travelling teapot, a well known variation of the teapot type produced in China but rarely found on such an epic scale. Presumably this piece was intended for use at a rather large gathering or banquet so that a multitude of guests could be served at once! The paste of the footrim, style of decoration and clearly visible hand thrown potting rings (see images 8 and 9) all point to late nineteenth century work which is confirmed by the minute vertical lines seen on the exterior which are often found on blue and white pieces from that period. It is sometimes suggested that these brass handles, for similar examples can be found, were made in Thailand but there is little evidence for this. However, a local audience rather than an international one seems more than likely since there would have been little call for such a serving item in Western homes.
Japanese Seto Ware Blue and White Vase, late C19th
Price: £450
Famous for over a thousand years, the ceramics produced at Seto in the Aichi prefecture, Japan, became synonymous in the late nineteenth century for high quality blue and white porcelains finely painted and produced in a wide variety of forms, some of near demonstration quality. The vase presented here is an outstanding example of their work, immaculate in both its craftsmanship and condition.
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A fine quality Japanese porcelain vase, the ovoid body with a curved flaring foot and rising to a tall concave neck with a well defined shoulder, applied elephant and ring handles to the sides and a galleried rim, decorated in bright underglaze blue with two bands of stylised flowering chrysanthemum at the top and bottom between a continuous scene of flowering peony and chrysanthemum, the top rim with repeating whorl design on the exterior and stylised leaf design inside, the stepped base glazed white.
The kilns at Seto in the Aichi prefecture of Japan and situated close to Nagoya form one of the traditional ‘Nihon Rokkoyo’, the six old kilns of medieval Japan. The location of Seto was ideal for the production of ceramics with an abundance nearby of both porcelain clay and forests to provide firewood for the kilns. Production began as early as the Heian period (794-1185) and continued without a break thereafter, the earlier pieces being more pottery forms copying Chinese wares. It was in the early nineteenth century that the kilns turned to producing porcelains decorated in underglaze blue and white, a development initiated by the potter Tamikichi Kato who went to Arita to learn the techniques of its production there, returning to Seto in 1807. Production grew and developed and was directed towards the export market in the Meiji period (1868-1912) with Seto wares being displayed at the European and North American exhibitions and fairs. Their delicately painted designs of birds and flowers proved to be immensely popular and were, in their time, to influence Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs. Some of the forms produced were truly virtuoso creations including, besides vases, screens, jardinieres and even ceramic tables.
Signed pieces are known and besides Tamikichi Kato the distinguished potters included the Kichiemon brothers, Kato Chuji and Kawamoto Jihyoe, and Kawamoto Hansuke. But not all the best pieces carried an artist’s signature as this vase well demonstrates. Formed from fine quality clay, as can be seen from the foot rim (image 10), the complex shape with its spreading base, angled shoulder and galleried rim would have been difficult to create. The handles show remarkable skill with the rings somehow formed so as to hang loose (presumably some form of kiln waster technique was used). The detail and artistry of the painting speaks for itself. Note in particular the shading effects on the peony flowers. While not perhaps an exhibition piece, this vase is definitely of exhibition quality and would be a worthy addition to a collection of nineteenth century Japanese ceramic art.
Lot of 3 Chinese bangles
Price: £35
This is nice lot of three bangles, one cloisonné and two cinnabar. The larger cinnabar bangle is beautifully detailed on black ground, the thinner cinnabar is more typical and has more age, the cloisonné is lovely work on a blue ground.
Incredible long jade necklace with large carnelian pendant
Price: £135
This is a constructed necklace comprising numerous large celadon colour beads interspersed with different coloured jade beads. There is a ox carving at one of the stations and it ends in a large carnelian disc pendant and silk tassel. This necklace is a very long opera length.
LOT 18
Chinese Cloisonne Small Tray decorated with Flowers and Rocks, 19th Century
Estimate: £100 – 150
13d 12h 56m
£0.00
Outstanding strand of Chinese coral beads
Price: £150
This is an amazing necklace comprising large carved Art Deco coral beads strung with more modern 20th century round beads and fitted with a Chinese silver clasp. The large beads are carved with typical Chinese symbols and decoration. These beads are natural coral and there are blemishes that indicate this, the variations only adding to their unique beauty.
Chinese Silver Bangle with Dragon Heads, C20th
Price: £45
A Chinese silver bangle of simple loop form terminating in two Dragon’s heads. One head with a small circular pad marked 925, Twentieth Century.
Japanese Samurai China Biscuit Box and Cover, C20th
Price: £25
A Japanese ceramic Biscuit Box and Cover with a wicker handle of squared octagonal form, the body slightly flaring outwards and with a flush fitting cover, decorated in bright satsuma style enamels with panels of a samurai and a geisha and two with landscape designs alternating with orange ground panels with stylised foliage in enamel and gilt, the design repeating onto the lid, the base marked ‘Genuine Samurai China’, ‘Japan’, ‘Hand Painted’, and a ‘Reg No’ which cannot be read, the lettering surrounding a shield like device with Japanese characters. The firm ‘Samurai China’ seems to have made modest ceramic items, mainly tea services, for export to the West. Dating is most likely pre war, perhaps to the 1930s.
Pair of Chinese Hand Painted Eggs in Case, 1970s
Price: £25
This is an excellent example of a type of souvenir model made in China, probably in the 1970s. The pair of eggs are delicately painted with ladies in a garden scene to the front which continues to the reverse. They are displayed on small stands set on a crushed fabric base and set within a purpose built case made from wood and glass. Underneath is a label reading ‘Made in China’ with four Chinese characters ‘Zhong Guo Zhi Zao’ which translate as the same. This type of mark seems to have been used on porcelains from the 1970s allowing an approximate dating here.
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) sitting on the branch of a pine tree with peony growing below in a stylised garden scene. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. The composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce an excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Chinese cloisonne bangle with raised enamel decoration circa 1900
Price: £35
Chinese cloisonne bangle, the exterior with raised enamel decoration of stylised scrolling foliage set on a speckled gilt ground between two bands of stylised floral sprays and clouds on a brick red ground, the interior finished in blue enamel; gilt rims to the top and bottom. The style of decoration suggests a circa date in the early twentieth century.
LOT 17
The Braves and the Fair Men of Letters and Women of Fame of Old China circa 1900
Estimate: £60 – 80
13d 12h 54m
£0.00
Graduated set of Three Chinese Blue and White Ginger Jars and Covers, 20th Century
Price: £45
A set of three Chinese Blue and White Miniature Ginger Jars and Covers of graduated sizes and typical form with globular bodies and domed covers, decorated in the 'Ming Style' in underglaze blue with lotus heads and stylised scrolling foliage, a band of lotus form panels to the base and ju'i form lappets to the neck, the design repeated on the cover.
Although of relatively recent manufacture, the quality of these pieces continues the Chinese ceramic productions of the late nineteenth century and together they form an attractive decorative ensemble for the contemporary interior.
Three Chinese Canton Enamel Dishes, Nineteenth Century
Price: £45
Three Chinese Canton Enamel Dishes, all with very similar designs with a central lotus flower in famille rose enamels on a coloured enamel ground (green, turquoise and pink respectively) with lotus flowers and stylised scrolling foliage, the edges with repeating ju'i form lappets, the rims bound in copper and a copper foot to the base, the undersides in off white enamel. The style of decoration suggests a nineteenth rather than eighteenth century date of manufacture (compare the dish in the following lot 7) but the quality is good and while not a set as such the three pieces complement one another well.
LOT 19
Fine Quality Cloisonne Box and Cover in the form of a Snail, Japanese circa 1880
Estimate: £50 – 80
13d 12h 58m
£0.00
Set of Three Japanese Lacquer Nesting Trays, mid to late C20th
Price: £45
This is a fine quality set of three Japanese lacquer trays designed in a ‘nesting’ format so that the two smaller fit into the largest. Each is finished in red lacquer with an elaborate and detailed gilt and enamel design of two peacocks in a garden scene with peony and bamboo, the rims gilt and the openwork handles with beige plastic loops, the sides and reverse in black lacquer. The art of lacquer ware (漆器, shikki) has been practised in Japan since the earliest times and pieces from the Meiji period (1868-1912) are particularly collectible today. These trays are much later, the use of plastic suggesting the 1950s or 1960s but the quality is still there and their excellent condition allows the skill of the workmanship to be fully appreciated. Highly decorative in themselves they are functional as well!
Chinese Republican Style small Famille Rose Ginger Jar and Cover, late c20th
Price: £20
A small ginger jar and cover of typical near globular form with a matching domed cover decorated in ‘Famille Rose’ enamels with two ladies in a garden scene, the base with a band of repeating stylised lotus leaves and the shoulder with a border of stylised scrolling foliage (peony and lotus) on a pink enamel ground, the cover with two butterflies and a band of fleur de lis and the reverse with a calligraphy inscription in black with seal marks in iron red. The base has a stamped iron red mark with the Chinese characters ‘Zhong Guo Jingdezhen’ which translate ‘Made in China’ which is also written in Western characters underneath. Below this is the number ‘07’ between two horizontal lines which may indicate the factory or cooperative where the piece was made. This form of mark indicates a dating to the 1980s which is consistent with both the paste of the foot and the style of the decoration. Not perhaps Chinese craftsmanship at its best but not without a certain charm.
Chinese Soapstone Double Brushwasher, C20th
Price: £45
A Chinese soapstone brushwasher carved in the form of two hollow bamboo stems standing between strands of trailing peach and resting on a rocky base with stylised foliage and a bird, the curved reverse plain and with three holes to facilitate the carving and the base recessed and with small holes. Various similar pieces can be found with one or more containers or vases surrounded by flowers or sometimes animals and presumably intended as brushwashers. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911). Production continued into the 20th Century and even takes place now, but the style of work here, with fairly coarse hand carving but the evident use of a drill, and the colouring of the stone itself suggest a mid century dating, perhaps to the 1940s. But while not of the highest technical expertise, this piece certainly has a rustic charm and can act as a pleasing ornament with the potential use as a desk accessory.
LOT 4
Chinese Bone Inkwell in the form of a Chair, early 20th century
Estimate: £20 – 30
13d 12h 28m
£0.00
Chinese Soapstone Brushwasher decorated with flowering Lotus, early 20th Century
Price: £45
A Chinese soapstone Brushwasher, carved in high relief with two vase like vessels and a shallow bowl all surrounded by flowering lotus and set on a ground of stylised rockwork, the back flat carved and the base hollowed out at the interior. Various similar pieces can be found with one or more vases surrounded by flowers or sometimes animals and presumably intended as brushwashers. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911) when a stone mined in the Shoushan village in northern Fujian was most commonly used. Shoushan soapstone is noted for its smooth texture, bright colours and fine grain and a wide variety of objects were carved from it. Production continued into the 20th Century which is what we have here but the quality of the work, with sparing use of the drill, suggests a dating in the early 1900s.
Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting deities and attendants, Modern
Price: £45
A Chinese Glass globe with thick walls, hollow inside and with a round opening at the base, reverse painted in great detail with deities and attendants amidst clouds, an eight character inscription to the side with a small red seal mark. Reverse painting is a technique often used by the Chinese for the decoration of snuff bottles where the brush is inserted through the opening at the top and the decoration applied. Here the decorative technique has been used on a rather larger object but with no diminution in the skill of the craftsman indeed the much larger 'canvas' must have proved quite demanding. By repute the decorators require at least one day to create a single example. Heavy, but a little lighter than the previous lot (41), and of extremely high quality glass, these pieces, of which various examples are known (there is another one as the previous lot to this) may have been intended as paperweights or more likely simply as decorative objects. Some are found with modern wood stands. This piece is sold with a contemporary illuminated stand which, when lit, serves to enhance the decorative effect (see image 6).
Chinese Reverse Painted Glass Globe depicting tigers, Modern
Price: £45
A Chinese Glass globe with thick walls, hollow inside and with a round opening at the base, reverse painted in great detail with three tigers in a landscape setting with bamboo, the base with an inscription 'Dick and Sadie'. Reverse painting is a technique often used by the Chinese for the decoration of snuff bottles where the brush is inserted through the opening at the top and the decoration applied. Here the decorative technique has been used on a rather larger object but with no diminution in the skill of the craftsman indeed the much larger 'canvas' must have proved quite demanding. By repute the decorators require at least one day to create a single example. Heavy and of extremely high quality glass, these pieces, of which various examples are known (there is another one as the following lot to this) may have been intended as paperweights or more likely simply as decorative objects. Some are found with modern wood stands. This piece is sold with a contemporary illuminated stand which, when lit, serves to enhance the decorative effect (see image 8).
Constructed necklace with jade, egg yolk amber and cherry amber
Price: £250
This necklace is a wonderful design comprising cherry and egg yolk amber beads together with jade beads that end in a very large carved jade plaque. This is a vert fine example of Chinese carving with an allegorical motif of a dragons mouth around a smaller dragon. The jade is a golden spinach jade that is an unusual colour.
Chinese Straw Thread Picture on Silk, framed in original box, late C20th
Price: £45
This is an attractive picture of Chinese Junks moored by a river bank with birds settled on one and seen flying away in the distance. The technique is unusual. On a silk ground, the detail of the image is rendered in fine straw threads with some of the features coloured in underneath. Great skill would have been required to work in this medium and far fewer examples exist than of the more standard silk thread images. The composition is pleasing but the clean, almost ‘modern’ lines of the picture suggest mid to late C20th work. The picture is fitted into a contemporary Chinese fabric covered box suggesting that it was it is framed in China at the same time as its production.
Fine quality Japanese Cloisonne bottle form Vase with black ground, late C19th
Price: £45
A cloisonne vase of bottle form, the bulbous ovoid body rising to a tall narrow cylindrical neck, the flat base in copper metal, the black ground decorated on the body with flowers including peony and butterflies, with a stylised wave border below and a band of peony blooms on the shoulder on a brown speckle ground, and on the neck with stylised hanging floral blooms. While not necessarily at the level of some of the signed pieces produced by the Japanese craftsmen in the late nineteenth century, this vase is an excellent example of the best work produced for export. The decoration is detailed and complex and employs some of the ‘special effects’ used, including shading to the enamels and a speckle ground, created with the addition of gold filings to the enamel, both seen in the decoration to the shoulder (see image 5). No doubt intended as a cabinet piece and not necessarily one of a pair, this vase is an excellent tribute to one of the classic ‘arts of Japan’ produced towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Framed Chinese Silk Embroidered Runner Panel, garden scenes, C20th
Price: £15
The repeating design we see here (the figure on the left reappears on the right) indicates that this textile is a section from a longer piece which perhaps acted a ceiling border for a wall. Depicted in a fairly muted palette of silk threads with an emphasis on light green and turquoise is a stylised garden scene with labourers (hoe, wheatsheaves, fruit basket) and one figure seated at leisure, all within a border comprising a mixed assemblage of the common motifs of Chinese decoration including stylised flowers, dragons, elephants, shou medallions and the endless knot (one of the eight Buddhist emblems). The stitching is not particularly detailed suggesting mid C20th work but the design is pleasing nonetheless.
Chinese Verre Églomisé Snuff Bottle with landscape scenes, fitted box, C20th
Price: £35
A Chinese glass snuff bottle of typical flattened oval rounded form with a replacement domed stopper, the interior decorated with intricate landscape scenes depicting a riverbank and a lakeside market and employing the ‘reverse glass’ or ‘verre églomisé’ technique. Dating of these pieces seems to be in the second half of the twentieth century but the skill of the maker is self evident and has produced a true landscape in miniature.
LOT 14
Chinese Soapstone Brushwasher with flowering lotus, early C20th
Estimate: £50 – 80
13d 12h 48m
£0.00
Japanese Ceramic Figural Group of two Geisha, late C19th
Price: £25
A Japanese ceramic figural group of two Geisha, one standing with her right arm upraised and the other seated with a fan in her left hand, both dressed in the traditional Japanese kimono wrapped round at the front and tied with a tassel at the back, and positioned on a blue ground rocky outcrop which is pierced at the top and bottom, possibly as a result of the manufacturing process. Various ceramic figures of geisha, sometimes pairs and sometimes individual figures, were produced in Japan in the late nineteenth century, doubtless for export. All share fairly bold modelling and a bright palette of colours but a group such as this seems a bit more unusual. It is an effective composition and a modest reflection of the taste for ‘Japonisme’ in the West at that time.
Japanese Gouache Painting of Flowering Lotus, signed and framed, C20th
Price: £45
A Japanese Gouache painting in tones of green and blue of flowering lotus and reeds with a butterfly hovering above, inscribed to the left with a two character signature in black and a seal mark in red. While the artist of this piece cannot be identified his skill is self evident in both the overall composition and its execution. The fine white and yellow detail on the lotus leaves is striking and the depiction of the butterfly vivid with life. Executed on a circular panel, perhaps originally from a screen, the painting has been sympathetically framed in an octagonal format, with a dark blue mount into which it is inset. The combination presents an object of obvious decorative appeal both to a specialist and to a general collector.
Set of Four Japanese Ceramic Beakers decorated Geisha, late C20th
Price: £40
A set of four Japanese beakers, straight walled with an incurving black glazed foot, the white ground decorated in coloured enamels with four geisha with elaborate hair styles and wearing differing versions of the traditional kimono dress, each with an inscription and artist’s seal. The depiction of these ladies recalls loosely the prints of the celebrated eighteenth century Japanese artist Utamoro and the type of kimono worn seems to be ‘furisode’ distinguished by its long flowing sleeves symbolising good luck and prosperity. Some vestiges of tradition, then, in pieces that are relatively recent in date but highly attractive in appearance.
Pair of Japanese Noritake Vases, early C20th
Price: £35
A pair of Japanese Vases of flattened baluster form with short necks and feet and applied loop handles to the sides, the bodies decorated in a salmon pink glaze with a central panel of flowers (chrysanthemum, lotus and plum blossom) surrounded by a wavy edge gilt border, a green border to the top, gilding to the handles and a gilt rim to the base, the foot with a Noritake mark in underglaze blue.
The Noritake compnay was set up by the Morimura family at Noritake near Nagoya in the early twentieth century. Called at first 'Nippon Toki Kaisha Ltd' on its founding in 1904, the business soon changed its name to 'Noritake' and began the manufacture of porcelains for the domestic and export markets. The mark seen here is interesting. It comprises a 'Komaru' symbol, crowned with "Noritake" and with the mark 'Made In Japan'. The centre symbol said to be taken from the Japanese character "Komaru", meaning "overcoming difficulties". According to the Noritake company tradition this mark was designed when contact with the different culture of the west early in the 20th century caused problems of adaptation. It is also known as the 'tree crest mark' which is the clan crest of the Morimura family. This mark is said to have been registered in London for the UK market by 1908. The curled up ends of the Komaru symbol seen here distinguish this mark from later versions and allow a dating of this piece to the early twentieth century.
Noritake porcelain became synonymous with finely potted tea and breakfast services made in great quantities for export. These vases are a rather more unusual production and show the factory capable of producing high quality pieces with decorative potential.
Chinese Yellow Ground Famille Rose Charger, 1950s/early 1960s
Price: £55
A Chinese circular charger, stoutly potted and with a faintly everted rim, richly enamelled in the ‘famille rose’ palette with lotus, bats, shou symbols and a central chrysanthemum head surrounded by small peony blooms, all on a yellow ground with white enamel stylised scrolling foliage, the reverse glazed white with a glazed footrim surrounding an unglazed circular band, the centre with a seven character stamped mark in iron red ‘Jiangxi’ ‘Jingdezhen’ ‘Ming 5 Ci’, ‘made at Jingdezhen [in the] Jiangxi [province], place rank 5’.
This is a fine example of the porcelains made at Jingdezhen, for centuries the chief centre of ceramic production in China, in the early years of the People’s Republic of China (1949-). Soon after the communists took control, the kilns at Jingdezhen were organised into co-operatives, each with a number. Many of their pieces were marked and the form of the mark determines the date of production. The circular marks, as here, were the earliest allowing a dating of this charger to the 1950s or possibly the early 1960s. Some of these conglomerates, for the quality can vary, retained the skills of their predecessors and produced works of high quality. This is clearly seen here in the careful and precise enamelling and the general artistry of the design employing ‘imperial’ yellow with the symbolism of happiness (bats), longevity (shou symbols), friendship and a life of ease (chrysanthemum) and fruitfulness and offspring (lotus), all combining to produce a piece well worthy of its many predecessors.
Please note that the wood stand is for display purposes only and is not incuded with this lot.
Chinese Scroll Painting of a Merchant and his Client, C20th
Price: £45
A scroll painting depicting what appears to be a scene in a Chinese merchant’s shop where there can be seen scales and a box containing coins on a table in the background. The elderly trader is seated next to a younger gentleman, presumably his client. One attendant stands watching and another bears an object on a tray which may well be the subject of a bargain to be made. The painting is colourful and expressive, with the faces carefully delineated. The style looks to be early twentieth century work and resembles that of reverse glass paintings from the period. The scroll is offered with a complementary scroll box, European with chinoiserie scenes in gilt, which considerably enhances the decorative effect.
Japanese Blue and White Porcelain Bowl decorated with hydrangea, early C20th
Price: £25
A Japanese Bowl of shallow flattened conical form, decorated in underglaze blue and white with a central panel of flowering hydrangea to the interior surrounded by six hydrangea blooms, the exterior with bands of variegated blue wash above a band of white, the base also with a white glaze.
Hydrangeas flourish in Japan and also carry a hidden meaning of apology and gratitude based on a mythical story of an Emperor, who angered a woman he loved by neglecting her, and gave her in recompense a bunch of blue hydrangeas as a symbol of his deep emotion and gratitude. Used here as a decorative motif, the painting of the flowers is skilful and elegantly combined with the plainer exterior. The paste of the foot rim suggests an early C20th dating, perhaps to the late Taisho era (1912-1926).
Vintage Japanese Doll of a Hat Seller, C20th
Price: £25
A vintage Japanese Doll of a lady, standing with her head turned to the right and wearing an elaborate floral robe tied with a sash at the back. Her hair is covered by a simple circular cap form hat which acts almost as a sample of the wares she is holding in each hand, three sets of similar hats linked with cord. Like the young ladies in the previous lot, this is another excellent example of the rather charming dolls made in Japan after the 1950s and probably dates to the same period in the late C20th.
Two Vintage Japanese Geisha Dolls, C20th
Price: £25
Two Vintage Japanese Geisha Dolls, the first dressed in an elaborate floral kimono and holding a headdress with flowing hair, the second slightly smaller and dressed in a simpler robe decorated with a stylised river scene and calligraphy; she holds a musical instrument and the base is signed. These are excellent examples of the rather charming dolls made in Japan after the 1950s and probably date to the 1980s. Probably bought by tourists, they are now often found in the West and have an obvious appeal.
Japanese Noh Figure Doll of a Lady, Showa Period (1926-1989)
Price: £55
A Japanese Doll of an actor playing a lady wearing an elaborate kimono, the light gold coloured fabric with a cream floral design, worn over an underdress in deep gold also with a floral design and tied at the lapels with an elaborate gilt tassel, the face concealed by a cream coloured ‘Noh’ mask with a crown above.
Dolls such as these were made for display, sometimes at the special ‘Doll’s Day’ or ‘Girls Day’ festival held annually on the third of March and termed ‘Hinamatsuri’. The elaborate dress is sometimes known as ‘Hagoromo’ (‘feathered’) and the mask with its fixed expression derives from the well known ‘Noh theatre’, a major form of Japanese musical drama created in the fourteenth century which combines dance, music and song and is still performed today. The actors are all male and play the female roles wearing a lady’s mask.
The craftsmanship of this piece is self evident and it was most likely made in the second half of the C20th. It can stand equally well on its own or as part of a wider collection and would be a desirable acquisition either way.
Japanese Kutani Dish decorated with the Thousand Faces pattern, first half C20th
Price: £45
A Japanese polychrome plate decorated with a central roundel of a gilt stylised dragon and phoenix amidst waves on an iron red ground, surrounded by nine concentric borders, the first two with geometric designs and the next six with small repeating faces, the ‘thousand faces pattern’, and the outermost with chrysanthemum heads edged with an iron red and gilt border. The reverse with an iron red mark ‘Made in Japan’.
The colourings and style of work here clearly indicate the workshops of Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') in the former Kaga province of Japan. By the nineteenth century the majority of their pieces were decorated in iron red and gold but sometimes with other colours in addition, as here. The ‘thousand faces’ pattern (an apocryphal term and this cataloguer has not attempted to count the number of faces appearing here) seems to have been evolved around the end of the nineteenth century and then continued in production until the mid twentieth. Both plates in various sizes and even tea sets are found in the design. The mark ‘Made in Japan’ was usually employed after 1941 (in the previous twenty years ‘Japan’ was the norm) but there are exceptions and the paste of the foot rim here does suggest a slightly earlier date, perhaps around 1930. In perfect condition, with very little wear to the decoration, this piece is a fine example of a rather eccentric decorative patttern.
Pair of Chinese Ginger Jars decorated Birds and Flowers, late C20th
Price: £45
A pair of Chinese ceramic ginger jars of typical ovoid globular form with a short straight neck decorated in polychrome enamels with birds amidst trailing peony on a matt lime green ground with craquelure effects, the bases each with a circular mark in iron red, one with the numbers ‘141’. The look of this pair is more European than Eastern but the finish of the base suggests production in China and similar examples can be found marked ‘Fabricado em Macau’ (‘Made in Macau’) and Macau was indeed a centre for the manufacture of ceramics from the sixteenth century onwards, continuing production well into the twentieth with an emphasis towards the end on souvenirs for tourists. The style of decoration tended to be more heavily influenced by Western techniques and motifs which explains the more hybrid decoration of this pair, not without a certain charm in itself. Dating is most likely towards the end of the twentieth century.
Japanese Imari Bottle Vase, circa 1900
Price: £30
A Japanese ceramic vase of slender bottle form with a near globular body rising to a narrow cylindrical neck, decorated in the ‘Imari’ palette of underglaze blue, iron red and gold with two red enamel ground stylised floral panels on a ground of scrolling peony, the neck with scrolling prunus above a band of repeating chrysanthemum heads and the base with a band of repeating stylised leaves. The paste of the foot and the style of the decoration suggest a dating to the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) probably around 1900.
Japanese Arita Blue and White Saucer decorated Gourd and Grapes, mid C20th
Price: £15
A Japanese Saucer with a lightly shaped edge decorated in underglaze blue with green and pink highlights, a trefoil gourd like motif set on a ground of radiating feather form bands with grapes and vine leaves, the reverse glazed white and plain but with a two character script mark to the centre of the foot. Dating is probably to the 1950s/1960s but the design here is unusual and has been executed with some care, hence, no doubt, the potter’s mark.
Chinese Mandarin Pattern Saucer circa 1780
Price: £45
A saucer of typical form, shallow with raised sides and an unglazed foot rim to the reverse, decorated in bright ‘Famille Rose’ enamels with a scene of court figures, two gentleman presenting a lady accompanied by a child with a book, in a stylised garden terrace with a lake and a pavilion in the distance, the border with repeating stylised leaves and diaper work.
This is a typical example of the ‘Mandarin’ pattern produced by the Chinese in the late eighteenth century for export to the West where it enjoyed great popularity. The name derives from the male court figures, mandarins, who form such an important component of the designs. The scenes are carefully composed with much charm and rendered in a wide variety of coloured enamels with much emphasis on deep pink (‘Famille Rose’) and iron red. A wide variety of wares were produced in the pattern including vases, bowls, dinner services and tea sets, as here, where there would have been a set of bowls and saucers along with matching serving items. The charm and quality of this piece speaks for itself and presents an excellent and collectible example of this opulent pattern from the eighteenth century.
Japanese Arita Blue and White Bowl, first half C20th
Price: £25
A fine quality Japanese Blue and White Bowl of shallow rounded form with a short foot, the interior decorated with ten irregularly shaped segments, five plain, three with geometric designs (diaper, key pattern, lozenge) and two with stylised floral tendrils, all arranged to form a swirling effect and grouped around a central flower head, the border with repeating stylised lotus flower heads, the exterior plain with two simple lines, and the base with a four character mark.
This ‘swirling’ pattern is sometimes found on late nineteenth century polychrome plaques. Dating here is probably later, perhaps to around 1920, in the middle of the Taisho period (1912 – 1926), but care has been taken with this piece and the mark, which unfortunately cannot be deciphered, no doubt denotes the studio which created it.
Japanese Arita Dish circa 1880
Price: £45
A Japanese Arita circular dish, stoutly potted and with a lightly scalloped rim, decorated in underglaze blue with the addition of green, blue and brick red enamels all highlighted in gold, the central roundel with a basket of flowers surrounded by three large panels with a duck, rocks and flowers, interspersed with arrow head panels with stylised flowers and separated by three smaller geometric shape panels again with stylised flowers, the reverse with three pairs of two of the eight ‘precious objects’ (cash, double lozenge) in underglaze blue.
The town of Arita in the former Hizen Province, northwestern Kyūshū island was a major cente for the production of porcelains in Japan. Best known for blue and white pieces it also produced polychrome wares as well, including the familiar imari colourings. While similar to Imari, the wider palette of colours used here is usually termed ‘Arita’ and the decorative appeal of the style is clear. This plate probably comes from an original set of five and its quality is much above average. Dating is to the Meiji era (1868 - 1912) probably around 1880.
Two jade carvings mounted as a necklace
Price: £125
This is a very striking necklace comprising two large jade carvings that have been joined together on a very thick herringbone chain. The carvings are 20th century but they have the look of a more archaic style. This is a very interesting piece that is totally unique. It is all silver.
Chinese blue ground Vase decorated Prunus, late C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese ceramic vase of ovoid form with a flaring neck, the blue enamel ground decorated with flowering prunus branches in grisaille and green, the base with the numbers ‘31’ in iron red. Flowering prunus or plum blossom is one of the most iconic designs used in the decoration of porcelain, occurring from the late seventeenth century onwards. This vase is a rather more modest version of the pattern and most likely dates to the late twentieth century. The paste of the foot is coarse and the painting perfunctory, not even wholly Eastern in appearance and similar pieces are sometimes catalogued as French. But as with Lot 3 in this sale, the explanation most likely lies in production further afield from the main porcelain factories at Jingdezhen. Perhaps, as with the jars shown in Lot 3, the source was Macau where poorer and more European influenced pieces were being made in the last years of the twentieth century. But, if not the work of Chinese potters at their best, this vase still has a naif charm to be enjoyed today.
Chinese Small Blue and White Potiche and Cover with wood stand, late C20th
Price: £45
A small Chinese porcelain potiche and cover, the straight sides curving out slightly to the top and the overhanging lid slightly domed with a wide knob finial, decorated in underglaze blue and white with a continuous scene of birds and flowers and rocks, the flowers repeated on the lid as floral sprays. The design here is unusual for Chinese ceramics and rather ‘modern’ in appearance which fits with a probable dating to the late twentieth century. While the porcelain is of good quality the paste of the foot suggests fairly recent manufacture (see image 9) and the painting appears to depend partly on stencilled outlines (see especially the bird in the first image). But the wood stand suggests at least some age and the ensemble can be enjoyed its own right as a modest decorative item with the potential for practical use.
An unusual Pair of Chinese carved Soapstone Vases, circa 1900
Price: £110
A pair of Chinese soapstone vases with mottled colourings in a wide variety of brown and beige, the triangular form deeply carved on the two front faces with flowering peony and birds nestling in the branches, the reverses flat, each with a rock and a leaf, the base also flat and the interior hollowed out. Soapstone was first used by the Chinese over three thousand years ago but began its popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368 -1644) with the height of production during the ensuing Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911). The triangular form of this pair of vases is most unusual and the depth of carving displays near virtuoso expertise. There is little or no trace of the drill here, unlike some of the later twentieth century pieces, and all the pointers are to a dating no later than around 1900. The carver was fortunate to find two matching pieces of stone which allowed him to produce such a well balanced pair in shape, colour and decoration. The nature of the material means that soapstone pieces are found less often as matching pairs and this triangular shape, perhaps suggested by the original stone pieces themselves, is rarer still.
A Japanese Hichozan Shinpo Brush washer circa 1880
Price: £10
A Japanese brushwasher of squat cylindrical form with a short neck and a flat unglazed base, decorated in brightly coloured enamels with Samurai and banners. The style of painting and palette of colours resembles pieces made by the Tashiro factory in Japan, founded by Tashiro Monzaeman (1816-1900) in the late Edo period during the mid-1850s, and which were marked ‘Hichozan Shinpo’. This piece carries very feint traces of a red mark underneath which may have originally indicated the artist’s name, but even without this, the resemblance is very close and an attribution almost certain. The form suggests a brush washer, part of the scholar’s desk set.
Nesting Set of Four Small Brass Trays with an engraved designs of Bats, Chinese C20th
Price: £30
A set of four brass trays in graduating sizes of rounded rectangular form with indented corners each with an engraved design of four bats symbolising good fortune, longevity and happiness surrounding a central ‘shou’ symbol of simplified form, again representing longevity. The function of this set is unclear but care was taken in its manufacture so that the individual pieces fit precisely into one another. Perhaps for sweetmeats or other delicacies and probably made in the early twentieth century for the local market.
LOT 23
Brown Alabaster Egg painted with a bird and flowers, fitted wood stand, Chinese C20th
Estimate: £10 – 20
13d 13h 6m
£0.00
Japanese Kutani Shell Shape Dish, circa 1880
Price: £45
A Japanese Kutani dish in the form of a shell with typical modelled ribbing to the front and finely decorated in iron red, sepia, grisaille and gold with three shell shape panels filled with birds
and flowers (peony and chrysanthemum) on an iron red ground with stylised gilt foliage with, in addition, roundel and part roundel shape panels with gilt floral patterns, the reverse plain
and with a two character mark 'Ku' 'Tani' to the centre.
Kutani (the word means 'nine valleys') porcelain was made at various factories in the former Kaga province of Japan. The earliest pieces were in a completely different style employing a palette of colours emphasising green, the so called 'Ko Kutani'. Production of this ceased around 1730, and manufacturing was not revived until the early nineteenth century when the more familiar colourings of iron red and gold were introduced. Many pieces were exported to the West in a variety of forms including vases and wall plates. This shell dish is more unusual; the shape is more normally found in Chinese ceramics. Perhaps one of an original pair, this dish, like its Chinese counterparts, was probably intended as a serving dish and could even be used as such today although it can well stand as a decorative item.
LOT 3
Chinese Shoushan Soapstone Seal with the characters A.H., C20th
Estimate: £30 – 40
13d 12h 26m
£0.00
Japanese Celadon glaze vase with enamel decoration, late C19th
Price: £25
A Japanese vase of ovoid form with a short slightly concave neck, the celadon glaze with raised enamel decoration in green, white and pink of flowering peony, the base glazed in white. Many pieces of enameled celadon ware were produced by the Japanese potters for export to the West in a variety of forms including vases, jardinieres and garden seats, the latter implying, perhaps, a destination of the conservatory. Their appeal is obvious and the work is of high quality. This vase, one, no doubt, of an original pair is a typical example with its rich celadon glaze enhanced by the floral decoration. Dating is most likely towards the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) around 1900. The provenance of these pieces is uncertain, although sometimes Seto ware, better known for its productions in blue and white, is suggested.
Pair of Chinese Ceramic Shoes, seal mark and with fitted box, C20th
Price: £55
An amusing pair of Chinese ceramic models of shoes or clogs, modelled in the form of a kylin head with a pronounced snout, the sides of the shoe with impressed repeating geometric patterns below a band of stylised scrolling foliage, the brightly coloured glazes all with craquelure patterning, the interior glazed turquoise with an impressed seal mark and the underneath glazed in cream, also with a small circular impressed mark. The pair are presented in a fitted box, fabric covered and silk lined, which is presumably contemporary. Neither of the marks can be deciphered and dating is uncertain, probably to the late C20th, but this does not need to detract the rather humorous design which does have at least one parallel from the C18th (see image XX)and may have been intended as a brushwasher for a scholar with something of a sense of humour.
Two Vintage Japanese Kokeshi Doll Groups, C20th
Price: £25
Kokeshi are simple wooden Japanese dolls that have been made in Japan for more than 150 years as children's toys. Originally from the Tohoku region in northern Honshu, kokeshi are handmade from wood, having a simple torso and head with a few thin, painted lines to define the face. One characteristic of kokeshi dolls is their lack of arms or legs. Production continues to this day and the dolls are regarded as highly collectible. These two groups are a variation on the traditional design. In one, two child dolls, a boy and a girl, sit in a wicker pannier basket, presumably expecting to be carried. The cylindrical objects on top may be intended to represent logs. In the other, two lady figures are seen wearing the traditional straw rain cape. Regarded as good luck charms, these dolls have a naif charm of their own and might well appeal to an adult as well!
Small Chinese Gilt Ground Cloisonné Bowl, C20th
Price: £35
A small bowl with a short foot and an everted rim, the gilt ground decorated in raised cloisonne enamel with prunus flowers, the base and interior finished in mottled turquoise enamel. The cloisonné technique, where glass derived enamels are inlaid between gilt metal outline designs, the so called 'cloisons' or 'partitions', was developed in China from as early as the fourteenth century and employed continuously thereafter, even until the present day. In the early twentieth century pieces were produced with a gilt ground onto which were applied raised cloisonne enamel designs, as here. The quality of the work is excellent and self evident but note in particular the shading effects in the enamels which are seen in images (3) and (4). Prunus is the emblem of Winter and the symbol of life because its blossom appears in springtime on an apparently lifeless tree. This small bowl or cup was probably intended for drinking tea or wine which explains the shape of the rim. Dating is most likely to the first half of the C20th.
Chinese Celadon Glaze Bottle Vase with White Slip decoration, Jingdezhen mark, C20th
Price: £75
A Chinese Vase of bottle form, the globular body rising to a straight neck with a short foot, covered all over in a celadon glaze and highlighted at the front with decoration in white slip depicting birds on branches of flowering lotus, the design continuing towards the rear. The base with a four character seal mark in underglaze blue reading 'Jing-De-Zhen-Zi', indicating manufacture at the well known kiln town of Jingdezhen in the Jiangxi province. Celadon pieces with white slip decoration, usually depicting birds and flowers, seem to have been first produced in China in the nineteenth century. Vases and garden seats are the most commonly found forms. This vase continues the style and the quality of the glaze and decoration compares very well with its predecessors. The mark is found on other pieces and seems first to have been used around 1950 but was still employed around forty years later so dating must also take into account the quality of the decoration and the paste of the foot, both of which suggest the mid C20th here.
Chinese Doll of a man dressed in traditional costume, early C20th.
Price: £95
Chinese Doll of a man, standing with his arms hanging down and dressed in elaborately embroidered Chinese costume with booted feet, the head detachable. This type of doll is believed to have been made in Shanghai by professional doll makers and then equipped with its dress in Christian missionary orphanages, in order to teach the girls there embroidery and raise money for the orphanage in general. Other examples are known and dating is generally made to the 1920s. The quality of the needlework here is exceptional and the young ladies were clearly extremely well taught! In this example the detachable head is signed which may indicate the doll maker's workshop.
LOT 22
Chinese soapstone Amulet decorated with a coiled dragon, C20th
Estimate: £20 – 30
13d 13h 4m
£0.00
Chinese provincial double spout Teapot, early C20th
Price: £55
This is a rather unusual teapot, the near spherical body with two spouts, a large angular loop handle and a rounded conical cover with a flattened ball knob, the interior with a central dividing wall and the lid with two cut outs to accommodate this, the glaze slightly off white with a fine craquelure and sketchily painted with typical lakeside scenes including pavilions, trees and rocks. Blue and white teapots with two spouts and a central interior division were made for export during the Kangxi period (1662-1722) but this example is much later, probably dating to the early twentieth century, and, to judge from the coarse decoration, made for the domestic market, but, even if utilitarian ware, there do not seem to be many parallel examples. By tradition, teapots designed with two halves were intended to promote a harmonious relationship between a husband and wife as each could enjoy their favourite type or strength of tea, although it has equally been suggested that they were rather intended for use in tea shops so that differing tastes could be catered for at the same time. A new owner might like to carry out some experiments!
Framed Chinese Embroidery Silk Textile, signed, second half C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese silk textile with an embroidered design of a peacock and a peahen (the male and female peafowl) standing on a grass embankment with a flowering peony bush behind them. There is a four character signature to the top left, probably denoting the artist. The style of the embroidery and the calligraphy of the signature suggest mid to late C20th work, perhaps dating to the 1960s or 1970s. Other embroidery panels with a similar design can be found which are much later. As with the previous lot the composition and the detail and colourings of the embroidery work are pleasing, combining to produce another excellent example of the genre. The frame is European and perhaps contemporary with the date of manufacture (see Lot 24).
Chinese Bone Netsuke carving of a man holding a musical instrument, early C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese Bone Netsuke carving of a man holding a musical instrument, depicted with its strings, and dressed in a simple robe decorated with incised detail in brown and black, two typical holes to the reverse, early C20th. Netsuke were developed in Japan as a fastener or toggle by which small hanging storage boxes, okimono, could be attached to the sash of a kimono. They were made in a variety of forms but the small figurine, as here and in the previous lot, was the most common. Chinese examples seem to have been made in the early twentieth century and were more often crafted from bone rather than the ivory or wood favoured by most of the Japanese craftsmen.
Japanese Bone and Lacquer Plaque, Lady and Boy, signed, late C19th
Price: £45
A Japanese wooden rectangular plaque, the front decorated with on oval panel, the black lacquer ground inset with carved and incised bone decoration depicting a lady in formal dress, carrying a bag in her right hand, accompanied by a boy attendant who carries a sack. Above them hovers a butterfly and to the bottom right is a small signature tablet, the characters set in a red ground. The panel is surrounded by a border of gilt speckle on a brown ground, typical of the decoration on Japanese writing boxes.
These bone and lacquer plaques were produced in great quantities by Japanese artists in the late nineteenth century for export to the West and became a familiar feature of the European drawing room. The medium was easily subject to damage and loss, especially in respect of the bone inlay, and while this example has some slight damage this is confined to a crack in the lacquer ground of the panel itself and some chipping to the extremities of the panel. The decoration of the figures remains intact (the surround seems to have been cut away in some places to give added definition to the composition) and allows appreciation of the skill with which they were carved, presenting a genre scene of great charm.
Framed Chinese painting on silk, two Silk Dyers, C19th/C20th
Price: £15
This is a Chinese genre painting on silk of two men seemingly engaged in dying skeins of silk in a rocky landscape scene. To the right stands a man holding two loops of fabric thread, most likely silk and to his left, a boy stands in front of a vat filled with liquid, clearly twisting the threads into cord, perhaps having dipped them into liquid dye using the tool he is holding in his left hand. The strip of wood across the top of the vat may have been used to help removed excess fluid from the dyed thread. The significance of the rather desolate landscape setting is unclear. The two workers seem to have been banished by their companions! Silk dyeing was an old tradition in China which is still kept up today (see image 7). While there are many painted scenes of rural and craft activities, this particular manufacturing process does not seem to be illustrated elsewhere. The style of the brushwork suggests a dating to around 1900 and there is a stamped artist's seal mark in red at the bottom left but the frame and mount are clearly later, perhaps mid C20th. An unusual composition, then, for collectors of Chinese art.
Group of Three Chinese carved bone Horses with wood stands, probably mid C20th
Price: £30
This is a group of three bone horses carved in China most likely in the 1930s/1940s. The patina is attractive and the three different poses imaginatively created. One horse is shown grazing, another standing with his head turned back and the third galloping with his tail upraised. These are almost certainly three from an original set of eight which would have represented the famous 'Eight Horses of Wang Mu', so often depicted in Chinese Art. The Emperor Mu of the Zhou dynasty (1023-983 BC) was the subject of a romance legend in which he sought to visit the heavenly paradise and taste the peaches of immortality. A charioteer named Zaofu used his chariot drawn by eight horses to carry Wang Mu to his desired destination and the legend was then perpetuated in Chinese Art. As well as being found in Chinese painting and on Chinese porcelains, the horses were also the subject of Chinese sculptors working in ivory, bone and even wood. Many of these small groups exist and most are no more than a hundred years old. The style here and the form of the fitted wood stands suggests mid C20th work, probably as tourist souvenirs. While missing their companions, this group still enjoy a unity of their own and make a highly decorative ensemble.
Vintage Lacquer Box with an inset ceramic Shard, probably Persian C20th
Price: £25
A lacquer box of rounded square form with a concave, pillow form cover inset with a blue and white ceramic shard. The box is decorated with stylised scrolling foliage on a dark red ground and the ceramic fragment with a design of lotus flowers and clouds. The box was clearly designed to fit the shape of the shard which presumably derives from a vase of some form. Similar boxes are usually described as Chinese with inserts that are obviously Chinese as well, but the lacquer work on these looks more to be Persian and here, the ceramic fragment definitely has a Persian rather than Chinese style of decoration, suggesting that in this case, at least, both the box and its insert are, in fact, Persian. This was an ingenious way of recycling broken pieces of porcelain and these boxes seem to have been made as tourist souvenirs. Despite the aged appearance, dating is probably to the early to mid twentieth century.
Japanese Arita shallow Bowl circa 1880
Price: £55
A Japanese Arita porcelain bowl of shallow form with straight sides turning in towards the foot, decorated in polychrome enamels with a central scene of two panels, one square with a fabric derived ‘brocade’ design and one rectangular with a landscape scene including waves, mountains, the setting moon and cranes, both with tassels underneath, the outside edge with stylised floral panels, lotus and chrysanthemum, and the base with a band of repeating geometric design in underglaze blue.
The town of Arita in the former Hizen Province, northwestern Kyūshū island, was a major centre for the production of porcelains in Japan. Best known for blue and white pieces it also produced polychrome wares as well, including the familiar Imari colourings. While similar to Imari, the wider palette of colours used here is usually termed ‘Arita’ and this bowl employs not only the colourings but also many of the decorative elements found in these wares. The angular form, though, is unusual. Dating is to the Meiji era (1868-1912) probably around 1880.
Japanese Awata ware Teapot and Cover, signed, circa 1900
Price: £25
An earthenware teapot of rounded cylindrical form, curving in at the base and with a flush fitting lid, the handle, spout and lid finial all modelled to imitate bamboo, the beige ground with a minute craquelure and with polychrome enamel decoration of birds and reeds, the modelled bamboo attachments glazed green and a sketchy signature in iron red at the base of the handle. The Awata district of Kyoto, Japan, was the home to many famous kilns including those run by various members of the Kinkozan family. Some of their Satsuma productions were of extremely high quality, indeed prize winning and in great demand from Western collectors which has continued until the present day. Other kilns produced more modest Satsuma wares for export and some are marked with the same maker’s name as their more illustrious counterparts. This teapot, not marked Kinkozan, is a typical example, originally deriving from a small tea service decorated in the same pattern. The signature, hastily drawn, is either that of the decorator or the merchant shop which sold the ware. These pieces too seem to have been popular with Western buyers and are still collected today.
Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Egg, C20th
Price: £55
A Chinese cinnabar lacquer egg, deeply carved with peony and prunus flowers within stylised scrolling foliage, the top and bottom with geometric form ‘shou’ medallions. The technique of lacquer carving (lacquer being the sap of a species of tree native to southern China, but also found elsewhere, which dries to a plastic which can be coloured and carved) was practised by the Chinese from the 12th Century onwards and has continued even into modern times. This egg is an example of their rather later creations but reflects techniques developed over many hundreds of years. There is symbolism here, prunus representing winter and peony spring with the ‘shou’ medallions standing for long life, so perhaps a good luck charm was intended. Dating is probably to the later twentieth century, perhaps the 1970s and if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, copies of the model, rather inferior in quality, were produced by the well known firm, Franklin Mint.
Chinese Crackleware Ginger Jar decorated with Warriors circa 1900
Price: £25
A Chinese Crackle glaze Ginger Jar of typical rounded ovoid form with a short neck, the beige ground with a feint and minute craquelure glaze and decorated in polychrome enamels with a continuous scene of a warrior on horseback with attendants, the shoulder and base with incised matt brown glaze bands intended to imitate bronze, the base with an apocryphal four character mark within a brown glaze square. Paste of the foot and style of decoration, in particular the rather coarsely decorated ‘bronze’ bands, suggest a circa date at the beginning of the twentieth century.
'Crackleware' glazed pieces, usually with 'bronzed’ bands, were a staple output of the Chinese potteries from the mid nineteenth century onwards and were produced in a wide variety of mainly vase shape forms, both in polychrome and blue and white and intended as decorative pieces for the Victorian rooms of the West. As with other ceramic types, the quality deteriorated and this piece is typical of the late productions with a more modest level of craftsmanship but still retaining a naif charm. As with many ginger jars, this one lacks its original domed cover which would have been decorated to match.
Chinese Blue and White Box and Cover with pierced lid, late C20th
Price: £25
A Chinese Blue and White Box and Cover, possibly intended as an incense burner, of rounded form, the base decorated in underglaze blue with panels of dragons and flames on a diaper ground above a band of stylised waves and the lid similarly decorated with piercing to the surface, the underneath with a broad flat foot rim. The paste of the foot and style of the decoration suggest later twentieth century work and some examples are found with an affixed label which reads ‘Andrea by Sadek’.
The Charles Sadek Import Company was founded in 1936 by the father and son Charles and Norman Sadek and began by importing decorative items from Japan later broadening their range to a wider variety of suppliers including China. These pieces were sold under the ‘Andrea by Sadek’ brand, named after Norman's daughter Andrea. The business continued to a third generation until it was taken over by Fitz & Floyd in 2015.
This box, then, is a typical example of their range of wares, good quality decorative items marketed at an affordable price. The quality of these boxes can vary and this piece seems to be an above average example.