Posts Tagged ‘Chinese’

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Chinese Mandarin port scene mug, c.1750

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Porcelain mug made in China for export to Europe and North America, with polychrome underglaze port scene in the Mandarin palette

Bold cobalt blue Fitzhugh border encircles the rim

Mug measures 4-3/4″ high

The broken porcelain handle was replaced sometime in the late 1700’s to mid-1800’s with one made of iron and in the same shape as the original. It was gessoed and painted with white enamel, now faded to a cream color, to match the body of the mug

You can see the original handle on this mug with the same shape and similar decoration

Photo courtesy of Hartleys Auctions

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Clobbered Imari teapot, c.1730

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Chinese porcelain globular form teapot with cobalt blue underglaze Nanking design, “clobbered” in the mid-1700’s with red & gilt overglaze in Imari style decoration

Surprisingly, the extended lid finial has survived the past 300 years intact. Teapot measures 5″ high

Original porcelain spout was replaced in the mid-18th to early 19th century with a well formed metal spout and round backplate

This beautiful clobbered Imari teapot shows what the original spout on my teapot might have looked like

Photo courtesy of M. Ford Creech Antiques

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Chinese Imari mug, c.1770

Monday, May 31st, 2010

This Chinese export ribbed barrel form mug is decorated in the Imari style with polychrome enamel and gilding. Chinese Imari porcelains are copies of popular Japanese Imari pieces of the mid 17th to early 18th century and were made for export to Europe and North America

Rim is decorated with an alternating diaper & floral spring design

Mug measures 4-3/4″ high and has a 2-3/4″ diameter opening

The replaced silver handle & rim were exquisitely crafted by an experienced silversmith and I only wish they left their hallmark. It is some of the finest silver work I have seen on a repaired item. Porcelain handle fragments enable the new silver handle to be mounted, in the same manner as a crown is attached to the remains of a tooth

This mug, identical in form and decoration to mine, still has its original handle. But it too has been repaired, this time using metal staples to hold it together. There seems to be a design flaw as the delicate handle couldn’t support the weight of the heavy mug…especially when filled with ale.

Photo courtesy of eBay

 

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Chinese export hot-milk jug, c.1770

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Ribbed body ovoid form jug with sparrow beak spout is made of porcelain and has finely painted iron-red & gilt floral and scroll decoration. It was made in China between 1750-90 for export to Europe and North America

Jug stands 7-1/4″ and has sustained much damage over the past 135 years. In addition to the obviously replaced handle, the lid is cracked, chipped and is missing its pomegranate finial

The iron replacement handle is covered in woven rattan, itself in need of repair. There are layers of exposed insulating fabric between the metal and the exterior rattan surfaces

Twine was used to tie the lid to the handle, a practical yet unattractive way of keeping these two pieces from separating

This pot shows what the original handle might have looked like

Photo courtesy of Eldred’s

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Miniature “clobbered” teapot, c.1700

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

A tiny Chinese porcelain teapot made during the Kangxi period (1662-1722) combining three of my favorite things: inventive repair, miniatures and clobbering. It’s hard to tell what the original 1700’s underglaze decoration was, as the multi color & gilt overglaze decoration of dragons & flowers extends over the entire surface.

Clobbered in the early 1800s to satisfy the demand for more colorful pottery of the times, this small teapot stands 4-3/4″ tall.

There is a hole connecting the spout to the body, as well as a tiny hole in the lid for steam to escape, confirming this to be a functioning miniature.

This piece has travelled much over the past 220 years, as it was originally made in China, exported to Europe, clobbered most likely in Holland, landed in Scotland with a collector and ended up with me in America!

The replaced metal handle has been painted to match the body. See an earlier post, “Globular Chinese export teapot, c.1750”, with a similarly painted handle.

Typical pseudo Oriental marks were painted on bottom at the time of the clobbering to add “authenticity”.

This miniature clobbered teapot of similar form shows what the original handle on my teapot might have looked like.

27016

 

Photo courtesy of Grays

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6 matching “Log Cabin” plates, c.1790

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Every one of these six matching broken Chinese export porcelain plates is held together with large brass staples, visible only from the back. I imagine the complete set of dishes was much larger than the six repaired examples I own, but I am thankful someone weeded out the “perfect” ones and left me with the more interesting much preferred damaged goods!

Out of all of the different types of inventive repairs I have shown thus far, people seem to be the most fascinated with staple & rivet repairs. I will be showing rare illustrations and photos documenting this repair procedure in upcoming posts, so please stay tuned.

Plate 1, The champion with 14 staple repairs.

Plate 2, another winner and tied for first place with 14 staples.

Plate 3, repaired with an impressive 9 staples.

Plate 4, not too shabby with 8 staples.

Plate 5, another plate with 8 staple repairs.

Plate 6, still lovely with an impressive 6 staples.

This detail shows the rich cobalt blue under glaze “log cabin” or timber frame decoration, inspired by an English design by Spode. This pattern is also known as “trench mortar”.

Each plate measures 9-1/2″ in diameter.

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Chinese clobbered teapot, c.1780

Monday, April 26th, 2010

I am a big fan of clobbered (over-decorated) porcelains and this piece does not disappoint. A Chinese export porcelain teapot, measuring 5-1/4″ high, originally with blue underglaze Nanking decoration fell out of fashion shortly after it was made. In order to keep up with the sudden demand for polychrome Chinese ceramics, factories took the unwanted pieces with blue decoration and overpainted with brightly colored enamels, often without regard for the original design

And if that wasn’t enough, when the handle broke off it was repaired using metal staples and wrapped with lead. The result is less than attractive but the sturdy repair makes the teapot once again serviceable

This teapot escaped the hand of a painter with polychrome enamels and retains its original blue decoration

Photo courtesy of Equinox Antiques

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Kangxi period dish, c.1700

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

A ribbed surface Chinese porcelain dish with the “Hundred Antiques” pattern is decorated in a famille verte palette, depicting culturally significant items of the period including vases, textiles and utensils.

After the dish broke and was repaired with metal staples, it was placed in an elaborate circa 1750 bronze rococo mount with cherubs.

10 metal staples were used to hold this dish back together again.

The dish alone is 6″ in diameter and measures 9-3/4″ long including the added bronze mount.

An unusual detail is a porcelain fragment from another broken object, added to the top portion of the mount.

If anyone has information on this mark, please let me know.

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Blue & white Chinese teapot, c.1790

Monday, April 19th, 2010

This Chinese export porcelain teapot with globular (aka bullet) form has a blue underglaze decoration and a simple looped handle.

Teapot measures 4-1/2″ high.

Nicely painted decoration of a man on horseback is featured on both sides of the teapot.

Not only has the spout been replaced with silver sometime in the early to mid 1800’s…

…but the lid now sports a nicely turned wood replacement knob.

The wood replacement knob is held in place with this early, hand forged bolt & nut.

This example shows what the original spout and knob may have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Collectibles Articles

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“Port scene” Qianlong mug, c.1780

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

I seem to have many Chinese export mugs in my collection, including this large one with an intricately painted Mandarin port scene. I purchased this, along with another large mug, in London last year.

I love the stylized cobalt blue underglaze border along the rim and the beautiful colors of the famille rose palette, highlighted with gilt detailing.

Mug proudly stands 6-1/4″ high and is 5-1/4″ in diameter.

It is possible that the fine rope covering on the bronze replacement handle was itself replaced, after a more typical rattan covering wore out over many years of use.

The bottom of the mug has an early hand painted “25” mark, possibly a dealer’s price or inventory number.

This mug with similar form and decoration still has its original porcelain handle intact.

Photo courtesy of Mimi’s Antiques

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