Posts Tagged ‘Chinese’

Small mug with lattice & floral decoration, c.1780

Sunday, December 4th, 2022

This small cylindrical porcelain mug is decorated with polychrome enamels in the Famille Rose palette with floral sprays and a lattice and scroll border at top and bottom. It was made in China for export during the latter part of the Qianlong period (1736–1795) and stands 4.25 inches high.

After the original handle broke off, it was most likely taken to a tinker who fashioned this sturdy metal replacement handle with 2 support straps. Judging by the numerous chips and cracks in the body, this little mug has survived quite a bit of abuse. I’m glad it wasn’t thrown away long ago for not being perfect.

This mug with similar form and decoration suggests what the handle on my intact mug might have looked like before it took a tumble.

Photo courtesy of Chairish

Rose Mandarin mosaic bowl, c.1900

Sunday, July 10th, 2022

In some cases, broken ceramics were beyond preservation or repair. But thanks to our thrifty ancestors, fragments of shattered plates were sometimes formed into mosaic and memory ware pieces, such as this Rose Medallion display bowl. Although this is more of a mosaic, true memory ware pieces are made from everyday household objects, including ceramic shards, glass and mirror fragments, buttons, beads, jewelry, shells, pipes, and doll parts. One of my favorite memory ware vessels is covered in unusual items such as glass doll eyes, a tiny glass jar, and a working thermometer!

This colorful example of recycling was made from broken Chinese and English porcelain and pottery shards attached to a shallow brass bowl. It measures 13 inches in diameter, 3 inches high. The overall effect suggests a plate with large figures in the center surrounded by a darker floral border. But look closely and you will find a variety of fragments featuring flowers, insects, and even a maker’s mark.

This whimsical contemporary jug was made by Lisa Rauter using antique ceramic shards and other found items.

Photo courtesy of flickr

Chinese mug with small face, c.1780

Sunday, June 26th, 2022

This cylindrical porcelain mug was made in China for export during the Qianlong Period (1736-1795.) It is painted in the Famille Rose palette, has front circle decoration with a small face, and measures 5.25 inches high.

Well over 150 years ago, a bronze replacement handle with wrapped rattan replaced the original broken entwined strap handle. In addition to the tiny face decoration, I particularly like the elaborate and large floral terminals and glad they remain intact.

James Giles decorated teapot, c.1760

Sunday, February 13th, 2022

This small white porcelain teapot has traveled the world since it was first produced in China in the mid-1700s. Soon after it was made, it travelled by cargo ship to London where it was decorated with flowers in polychrome enamels at the James Giles Workshop, circa 1755-1765. I purchased the teapot a few years ago from an antiques dealer in Virginia and now it resides in New York. It measures nearly 5.5 inches high, 7.5 inches from handle to spout.

You all must know by now that the reason I purchased this lovely teapot is because of the make-do repair. After the original spout broke off, over 200 years ago, a jeweler attached an elegant silver replacement. Repairs such as this are not uncommon, and I image jewelers kept a stock of silver spouts ready for action for when the inevitable happened.

This teapot with similar form and decoration by James Giles suggests what the original spout on my teapot would have looked like.

Photo courtesy of eBay

Chinese teapot with puce flowers and metal handle, c.1760

Sunday, November 21st, 2021

This globular teapot with puce floral enamel decoration and orange bands was made in China in the middle to late 1700s. It measures 5.5 inches high, 7.5 inches from handle to spout. At some point in its early life, the handle broke off and a bronze replacement, with the remains of rattan wrapping, was attached. Most teapots I find have one form or another of metal handle protection to help insulate delicate hands from the hot contents. Many examples in my collection have intricately woven patterns using more than one color of rattan, and I imagine the customer would have been charged more for these finer artistic flourishes.

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

Photo courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust

Teapot signed “Coombs China Burner”, c.1780

Sunday, July 25th, 2021

This Chinese export porcelain drum-form teapot was made during the Qianlong Dynasty (1736-1795) and has a divided entwined handle with molded leaves and flowers at terminals, along with a molded berry with leaves shaped finial on the lid. It was decorated for the European market in the Famille Rose palette with floral sprays and blue ribbons, and measures 5.25 inches high, 10.25 inches wide from handle to spout.

At first glance this sturdy teapot looks a bit out of place on these pages of ceramics and glassware, mostly riddled with obvious repairs. But in fact, the spout was repaired in the late 1700s in a most inventive way by a china burner in Bristol, UK. Painted in red on underside is “Coombs, China Burner, Queens Street, Bristol”. Coombs fused the broken spout to the teapot by refiring the pot with glass silica. His calling card (last image) boasts “Burns all sorts of foreign china, such as dishes, plates, bowls…teapots, boats, coffee pots, mugs, etc. Likewise, rivets and rims, china bowls and glasses in the neatest manner.” What’s thrilling about Coombs’ work is that his pieces are signed, unlike most other repaired items which remain anonymous. I have a few more signed pieces repaired by Coombs, which I will post in the future.

Chinese mug with metal & rattan handle, c.1785

Friday, July 2nd, 2021

I purchased this cylindrical form porcelain mug at auction last year, along with many lots of mugs, teapots, jugs, goblets, and oil lamps. As a result of my forced hiatus from work due to the pandemic, I was able to leisurely research and catalog the 50+ new pieces to my collection. This pretty mug in the Famille Rose palette has floral swag and tassel decoration in pink, purple, green, and orange. It was made in China during the Qianlong period (1736-95) and stands 4.5 inches high.

After the handle broke off, a bronze replacement was attached by carefully drilling through the body. Although I seem to have countless replacement handles such as this in my collection, each are a little different in size, proportion, and material. I especially enjoy the patterns created by the thinly cut rattan, woven over the handle as insulation and to help form a tighter grip.

This example, with similar form and decoration, shows what the original handle on my mug would have looked like before it took a tumble.

Photo courtesy of Ruby Lane

Mandarin decorated teapot with metal spout, c.1760

Saturday, April 17th, 2021

This globular porcelain teapot from the middle Qianlong period (1735–96) has a Mandarin family scene decorated on both sides with polychrome and gilt enamels. It was made in China and measures 5.25 inches high, 7.75 inches from handle to spout. The lid, which appears to be the proper form for this teapot, is actually from another tea service and has been married to the pot.

At some point in the teapots early life, the original porcelain spout broke off and a silver replacement was attached. I own many and have seen dozens of other replacement spouts with identical shapes including the scalloped back plate. I believe they were made in bulk and stocked by jewelers who were ready to grind down broken spout remains and snap on the replacements. One day I will publish a posting showing all of the similar silver spouts.

This teapot, with similar form and decoration, suggests what the original spout on mine would have looked like.

Photo courtesy of Rob Michiels Auctions

Small lobed teapot with metal spout & handle, c.1710

Sunday, February 21st, 2021

This small lobed porcelain teapot, appears to have been made in China during the late Kangxi period (1662-1722.) It measure 4.25 inches high, 6.25 inches wide handle to spout and is decorated in the Japanese Imari palette of blue, red, gilt on white.

I love a double repair and this one delivers on both counts. We will never know if the replacement handle and spout were added at the same time or separately. The sturdy bronze replacement handle is tightly wrapped in rattan for insulation from the hot teapot contents. The metal replacement spout is more humble but allowed the tea to flow once again.

This teapot, with similar form and decoration, has all of its original parts intact. But I still like mine, with its added character, better.

Photo courtesy of Live Auctioneers

Chinese teapot with metal spout, c.1770

Sunday, January 10th, 2021

This globular form porcelain teapot was made in China during the Qianlong Period (1736-1795.) It has floral decoration in the Famille Rose palette and measures 6 inches high, 8.75 inches wide from handle to spout.

Long ago, someone let this fragile teapot slip from their grasp, resulting in a broken spout and lid. A metalsmith brought it back to life by attaching a sturdy iron replacement spout, which allowed tea to flow once more. A lid with similar form and decoration from another (broken?) teapot was added to complete the restoration/transformation. Later in the troubled pot’s history, a few chips along the rim were painted over in gold. Rather than helping to soften the blow, the gilding actually accents the imperfections, in the same way that kintsugi celebrates cracks and repairs.

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

Photo courtesy of A & M