Chinese « Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair

Posts Tagged ‘Chinese’

Mandarin mug with metal handle, c.1760

Sunday, December 6th, 2020

This porcelain bell-shaped footed mug with Mandarin decoration stands 6 inches high. It was made in China during the Qianlong period for export overseas. The polychrome and gilt Famille Rose decoration depicts 2 figures in a garden – one with a pole and basket and the other holding a plate of fruit, as well as garlands of flowers, trees and rocks.

Long ago, after the original handle broke off, a tinker or an itinerant repairer fashioned a bronze replacement. There are 2 patches of woven rattan, which suggests the the entire handle was originally covered in rattan.

This intact example suggests what the original handle on my mug might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Catherine Hunt Antiques

Tags:bronze, Chinese, metal handle, porcelain
Posted in mug/tankard | No Comments »

Kangxi powder blue teapot, c.1700

Sunday, October 18th, 2020

This porcelain barrel form teapot with powder blue glaze was made in China, c.1700. It is decorated with panels containing a flowering tree on one side and precious objects on the other side. It measures 4 inches high, 6.75 inches from handle to spout.

I love objects with multiple repairs and this beautiful teapot has many, including a metal replacement spout, a wood replacement knob, and 6 metal staples.

This teapot with almost identical form and decoration still has its original spout, and knob.

Photo courtesy of Rob Michiels Auctions

Tags:Chinese, Kangxi, metal knob, metal spout, porcelain, staples/rivets
Posted in teapot | 1 Comment »

Batavian teapot with silver coin terminals, c.1730

Sunday, September 27th, 2020

This Batavian brown glazed globular form teapot with cobalt blue decoration was made in China during the middle of the Qianlong dynasty (1736-1795). Batavia ware, aka Capuchin ware or Cafe au lait, was highly favored by the Dutch and named for the city of Batavia (today Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia), the center of Dutch trade in the 18th century.

Teapot stands 5.25 inches high, 7.5 inches from handle to spout and has double repairs: a metal replacement handle wrapped in woven rattan and a silver replacement spout with engraved decoration. As if that wasn’t enough, two silver coins from the reign of King Charles (Carlos) of Spain (1661-1700) were used as handle terminals. Judging from the precious materials used on both repairs, it’s safe to assume that the original owner was well off.

This teapot, with similar form and decoration, shows what the original handle and spout on mine might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of BidLive

Tags:Chinese, globular, metal handle, metal spout, porcelain, rattan, silver
Posted in teapot | 4 Comments »

Small mug with Imari decoration, c.1730

Sunday, September 13th, 2020

This small but sturdy porcelain bell (aka baluster) form mug is decorated with flowers in the Imari palette of red, blue, and gilt on a white ground. It was made in China for export, most likely to Europe and North America, around 1730. It stands 4 inches high.

Sometime in the 18th/19th century, this mug took a tumble, resulting in a broken handle. Rather than tossing it out, it was taken to a tinker who fashioned a bronze replacement handle. Most often metal handles on teapots, cups, and mugs were wrapped with rattan for insulation and comfort but this handle remains bare.

This small mug with similar form and decoration suggests what the original handle on my mug might have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood

Tags:bronze, Chinese, Imari, metal handle, porcelain
Posted in mug/tankard | No Comments »

Chinese teapot with applied flowers and triple repairs, c.1730

Sunday, August 2nd, 2020

This baluster form porcelain teapot with applied flowers was made in China during the tail end of the Yongzheng period (1678-1735.) It measures 5 inches high, 6.75 inches from handle to spout and is decorated in the Famille Rose palette of green, orange, blue, lavender, and gilt.

Various craftspeople were kept busy making repairs on this poor injured fighter. We will never know exactly who did the repairs or when they were done but it seems likely that a metal smith made the silver replacement spout sometime in the 1700s-1800s. The rattan wrapped bronze replacement handle was most likely done in the 1800s and the wooden replacement knob could have been done as late as the early 1900s.

The last photo shows a similar teapot with all of its original parts intact, but I much prefer my mismatched sampler of various early repairs.

This teapot with similar form and decoration suggests what the original spout, handle, and knob on mine might have looked like before it took a tumble.

Photo courtesy of Northeast Auctions

Tags:bronze, Chinese, metal handle, metal spout, porcelain, rattan, silver, wood knob
Posted in teapot | 3 Comments »

Pair of Chinese jugs with silver spouts, c.1720

Saturday, May 23rd, 2020

As I have noted many times in these pages, I love finding multiples of matching inventive repairs.

This colorful pair of Chinese porcelain footed jugs, made during the later part of the Kangxi period (1661–1722), has floral decorations with gilt highlights. They are baluster-form with unusual flattened sides, stand 8 inches high, and were most likely part of a large set of tableware for a wealthy household.

At some point in the jugs early lives, both of the spouts broke off, rendering them unusable. Luckily, a clever and talented silversmith was able to fashion new spouts with lovely engraved decoration, and attach them to the jugs. I can only assume that as soon as the jugs were brought home, they were put back on the dining room table and used again for many generations.

Tags:baluster, Chinese, metal spout, porcelain, silver
Posted in jug | 2 Comments »

Mismatched Canton trio with large staples, c.1835

Sunday, April 26th, 2020

My cousin-in-law Carol is a true artist with incredible taste. She is equally adept at painting, sculpture, sewing, and just about any other form of art or craft. Her homes have been decorated with a keen eye and filled with beautiful and quirky details. When she found out about my passion for antiques with inventive repairs, she started sending me wonderful examples for my collection.

This trio of mis-matched 18th century Chinese Canton porcelain arrived unannounced a few months ago. Each piece is decorated in the pagoda pattern in cobalt blue underglaze on a white ground. The small tureen measures 7 inches wide from handle to handle and is 5 inches high to the top of lid finial. The small plate, used here as an under tray, is 9.5 inches x 6.75 inches.

I wouldn’t be surprised of these “damaged” pieces were weeded out of a larger dinner service by a dealer who only wanted to keep the “perfect” pieces. The repairs here include 3 large double brass staples each on the tureen and lid, and 3 large white metal staples on the underside of the plate.

Thank you to whoever did me the favor of dividing up the set and leaving the more interesting stapled pieces for my collection. And thank you again Carol for your generosity and appreciation for the unusual and the quirky!

Tags:blue & white, Canton, Chinese, porcelain, staples/rivets
Posted in bowl/dish, plate/platter | 2 Comments »

Chinese export tea bowl with staples, c.1770

Sunday, September 29th, 2019

This porcelain tea bowl was made in China, c.1765-1775, during the Qianlong Period. It measures 1.75 inches high, with a 3 inch diameter opening and is decorated in the Mandarin palette, with polychrome enamels featuring a couple on a terrace.

After the fragile bowl dropped and broke into 3 pieces, it was repaired most likely by an itinerant “China Mender” using 3 small metal staples, aka rivets. Unlike most examples where the rivet holes penetrate the surface about half way, these holes have been drilled all the way through.

I bought this, along with a mismatched saucer, from one of my favorite shops in London and was told by the owner “… we bought this little saucer yesterday with a lovely metal ‘plate’ tinker repair and supporting bar, the bar is etched with little line decoration, I don’t think I have ever seen a repair like this before, it does come with a bog standard riveted tea bowl, we would split them but the bloke we bought them from told me they had been together on his mother’s mantlepiece for at least 70 years, and I am a bit sentimental like that.”

The last photo shows the tea bowl along with the saucer, which I posted earlier.

Tags:Chinese, Mandarin, metal, metal patch, porcelain, staples/rivets
Posted in cup/saucer, saucer | No Comments »

Chinese export saucer with metal cuff, c.1770

Sunday, July 28th, 2019

This attractive porcelain saucer was made in China, c.1765-1775, during the Qianlong Period. It measures 1.25 inches high, 4.75 inches diameter and is decorated in the Mandarin palette with polychrome enamels, featuring a vignette of 5 figures on a terrace and birds along the border.

The saucer must have chipped rather badly, as a large metal cuff with a 2 inch decorated flattened metal staple covers a damaged area beneath. This unusual repair appears to have been crafted by a tinker, sometime in the 19th century.

I bought this, along with a mismatched tea bowl, from one of my favorite shops in London and was told by the owner “… we bought this little saucer yesterday with a lovely metal ‘plate’ tinker repair and supporting bar, the bar is etched with little line decoration, I don’t think I have ever seen a repair like this before, it does come with a bog standard riveted tea bowl, we would split them but the bloke we bought them from told me they had been together on his mother’s mantlepiece for at least 70 years, and I am a bit sentimental like that.”

The last photo shows the tea bowl, which I will post at a later date.

Tags:Chinese, Mandarin, metal cuff, porcelain, Qianlong, staples/rivets
Posted in saucer | No Comments »

Small Yixing teapot with silver spout, c.1875

Sunday, June 2nd, 2019

This minuscule red stoneware pear shaped Yixing teapot was made in China during the middle to late 1800s. It stands just 2.5 inches high and has an incised mark on the underside.

Although this tiny teapot looks like a child’s miniature, it was made for adults to actually use. As a result of a tea ceremony mishap, the original spout must have snapped off and an expertly executed silver replacement was made. Further evidence of its intended use is a tiny hole on the lid for steam to escape, as well as a strainer inside the replacement spout.

Take a look at this previous post of mine, miniature Yixing teapot with gold cuffs, the only example in my collection with gold repairs.

And if anyone can translate the mark on the bottom, please let me know!