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A
selection of objects from the exhibition...
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| TAPERED YIXING TEAPOT |
The form of this teapot hearkens back to an ancient vessel, which is widest at the top and tapers to the base. There is a raised band about two-thirds from the base. The top and cover are made up of circular bands with the finial terminating in a flattened tapered knob this reiterates the shape of the vessel. The spout emanates from the widest part of the teapot as does the top of the handle. There is a decoration at the top end of the handle, where it is held. The lid is tightly fitting. The interior shows patination from usage. The color of the vessel is a true terracotta with ochre speckles produced by the mixing of granules into the clay.
The incised characters on the bottom read: Chen Xinqing (maker’s name).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This piece is included in a collector’s box with four other teapots.
Inventory No. NA-3 |
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| QUATREFOIL FLORAL YIXING TEAPOT |
This teapot is in a quatrefoil flower petal form, which flares outward slightly at the base. When one follows the flare, there is a cylindrical foot. The cover is circular with an oval loop finial. The spout emanates from the midpoint of the teapot as does the top of the handle. The form of the handle moves upward then forms an angle and curves down and out and makes another angle to veer downward to the base. The lid is tightly fitting. The color is dark "bittersweet chocolate" brown.
The incised characters on the bottom read: Chen Hezhi (maker’s name).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This piece is included in a collector’s box with four other teapots.
Inventory No.NB-4
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| GLOBULAR YIXING TEAPOT |
The globular form of this teapot is quite simple with two incised bands about two thirds of the distance from the bottom. The cover is slightly domed terminating in a circular knob finial. This reiterates the globular shape of the vessel. The spout emanates just above the incised, banded area and is shortly and turned slightly downward. The handle is a smooth rounded form, without decoration. The lid is tightly fitting. The color of is a true terracotta. There is patination from usage.
The signature is just below the spout, followed by a seal. Both the incised characters and seal read: Chen Mingyuan (maker’s name).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This piece is included in a collector’s box with four other teapots.
Inventory No.NC-4
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| WELL RAILING YIXING TEAPOT |
This teapot is in the well railing form with an overhead handle, which is wrapped in silk. The handle reaches across the diameter of the teapot. The cover is domed with a loop handle following the form of the top. The spout emanates two thirds of the distance from the bottom of the vessel. It is a short angular shape. The cover is tightly fitting. The color is a medium brown. There is patination from usage.
The body of the teapot has a scholarly inscription, which goes all around the pot in vertical rows of three characters each. The incised inscription on the body, in running script, reads: Ao po zhi shi, tiao zuo jiu qi ([Choose] the stone from a steep hill, and fire it into a wine vessel).
The inscription on the opposite side, in clerical script, reads: Jun zi you jiu, feng jue cheng shou (The gentleman has wine, offering it in a jue vessel to honor/celebrate longevity. Inscribed by Mansheng).
The seal on the bottom, in seal script relief, reads:A man tuo shi (Amantuo Studio)."
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This piece is included in a collector’s box with four other teapots.
Cf. Lo, K.S. Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day. Hong Kong: Sotheby’s Publications, Hong Kong University Press, 1986, p.98, fig.36.
Inventory No. ND-1
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| RECTANGULAR YIXING TEAPOT |
This rectangular teapot is in a rare form originated by the most famous potter of Yixing of the Ming dynasty, Shi Dabin (1580-1650). The spout is attached at the midpoint of the narrow side of the rectangle and the handle is attached at the top and runs to the bottom of the vessel on the other narrow side of the rectangular form. The cover has a flat form and is tightly fitting. The finial, spout and handle are all of a four-corner form. There is patination from usage.
The allusion to antiquity is continued by the inscribed characters and seals, in various scripts, found on the sides and front of the vessel.
The impressed seal on the bottom, in seal script, reads: Yang Pengnian zao (Made by Yang Pengnian).
To the left of the handle, the inscription, in an archaic script displaying both the seal and clerical characteristics, reads: Xiu feng shi tai duo xian liang, fu fu xie lao zi sun chang. Shen ru jin shi, shou er tai, fu qie gui xi yi hou wang (In an age of peace and affluence, wise and kind men abound; husbands and wives grow old together in harmony and they have many prosperous offspring. Everyone is as healthy as metal and stone, and all enjoy long life and posterity; [their lives] of wealth and esteem befit those of nobles and kings).
The inscription starting to the right of the handle and continuing onto the handle side, in regular script, reads: Shushan jiu ming Dushan, qi tu zhong tao ren zhi xuan. Wulin Chen jun Mansheng zai shi yi, ming zhi wei hu, yi dai ming wan, shi ren zhen zhi. Yu jian er xian zhi. Yiyou sui, zuo ke lin jin, te shi Chen jun yi wei shi hu. Yi xue hong liu zhua zhi yi yun. Beiping Zhou Youqin zhi bing juan (Mount Shu used to be called Mount Du, and its soil is the best choice of potters. When Mr. Chen Mansheng, from Wulin [i.e. Hangzhou], was the magistrate of that town, he was asked to make teapots to be used in place of famous wares. [Chen Mansheng's] teapots were treasured by his contemporaries, and I also admire them when I see them. In the year of Yiyou [1825] when I visited Linjin [i.e. Hangzhou] as a guest, I studied Mr. Chen's artistic ideas and made this teapot. It is the idea like 'traces of claws left on the snow by the wild geese.' Made and inscribed by Zhou Youqin from Beiping [i.e. Beijing]).
The inscription on the spout side, in clerical script, reads: Fu qi qi mu ao hu yong tu (A gentleman treats his wares with solemn respect, as their use can be profound)."
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This teapot is stored in a collector’s box with four other teapots.
Inventory No. ND-2
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| YIXING TEAPOT WITH INCISED BAMBOO MOTIF |
The slightly tapered cylindrical form of this teapot is complimented by the freely incised depiction of bamboo stalks, a symbol of resilience and of winter, as well as an incised cursive script inscription. The cover is circular and flat and rests on the mouth of the teapot. The finial is a cylindrical knob with a rounded top. The spout is short and close to the body of the teapot. It emanates about three quarters up from the base of the vessel. The top of the teapot has a cylindrical portion, which then forms a shoulder upon which all the incised work is inscribed. The handle runs to about three quarters of the length of the teapot. There is a raised band about two-thirds from the base. The finial handle and spout are all rounded and simple. The lid is tightly fitting. The color is a light brown.
The impressed characters of the seal on the bottom read: Hu gong zhi fu (The article is made by a old teapot maker).
The impressed characters of the seal on the handle read: Pengnian (i.e., the Yixing master potter Yang Pengnian).
The inscription, in running script, reads: Cha shi yu Tang mo lai, shen xing. Bu guo you ren yun shi shou xie yu huang yuan ji hui zhong, suo yi rao yun lu zi ran wei (Tea was introduced from abroad at the end of the Tang dynasty [618-906 CE], and became very popular. [The tea leaves] are picked by recluses and poets from the wastes in abandoned gardens. That is the reason the tea is imbued with the natural aroma of clouds and mists).
The two running script characters after the poem read: Yuehu (Teapot of Moon [an epithet given to the vessel by the maker]).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period.
Inventory No. ND-3 |
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| YIXING TEAPOT WITH INCISED WILLOW MOTIF |
The slightly tapered cylindrical form of this teapot is complimented by the freely incised depiction of willow, a symbol of the autumn, and a calligraphic inscription. Almost identical in form to no. 6 above, the cover is circular and flat and rests on the mouth on the teapot. The finial is a cylindrical knob with a rounded top. The spout is short and close to the body of the teapot. It emanates about three quarters up from the base of the vessel. The top of the teapot has a cylindrical portion, which then forms a shoulder upon which all the incised work is inscribed. The handle runs to about three quarters of the length of the teapot. There is a raised band about two-thirds from the base. The finial handle and spout are all rounded and simple. The lid is tightly fitting. The color is a light brown.
The inscribed poem, in running script, reads:
Xiao fu chun ying kong gu qi, qiong hua zhu shu zui xian gsi, ru he liu de heng er ying mo qian yin guo bie zhi
(The evening [spent alone is like] spring warbler [singing] in an empty valley [waiting for a echoing reply]. Beautiful flowers and verdant trees are most conducive to love-longing. How can one keep the image of the moon [in the sky from moving], so that the silver toad [in the moon] would not pass another branch [i.e., making time stand still]?).
The running script characters after the poem read:
Ban yuan yue ye li hua shi (?) zhi yi Nantian
(‘Poem on Pear Blossoms in the Ban Garden on a Moonlit Night’ by Nantian)."
The impressed characters of the seal on the bottom read: Hu gong zhi fu.
The impressed seal on the handle reads: Pengnian (i.e., the Yixing teapot artist Yang Pengnian)."
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period.
Inventory No. ND-4
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| DRUM SHAPED YIXING TEAPOT |
The drum shaped teapot has an outer rim and a raised collar. The lid is stepped and the finial repeats the shape of the teapot. The short straight spout in attached at the upper portion of the side of the drum. The handle is rolled and attached from the top of the drum to the base. The lid is tightly fitting. The color is a true terracotta. There is patination from usage.
The incised signature, in regular script, on the bottom read: Chongzhen Guiyou Sheng Guanwu (Chongzhen [r.1628-1644] is the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty; Guiyou is the sexagenarian cyclical date equivalent to 1633; Sheng Guanwu is the artist’s name).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period.
Cf.
Liang, Baiquan. Yixing zi sha(Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, p.112, fig.43; p.208, fig.98.
Inventory No. NG-1
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| HEXAGONAL YIXING TEAPOT |
This hexagonal shaped teapot also has a hexagonal spout and lid. The finial is a faceted loop form and the handle has an extension in a crest form at the highest point of the handle. The lid is tightly fitting. The color is a true terracotta.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the bottom read: Hongguang yuan nian Chen Hezhi zhi (The first year of Hongguang. Made by Chen Hezhi.)
There is a fitted hexagonal silk base made during the Republic Period.
Inventory No.NG-4
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| PUMPKIN YIXING TEAPOT |
This pumpkin shaped teapot is reminiscent of a well-known example by the Ming dynasty Yixing master Shi Dabin (1580-1650), as well as similar works by Chen Mingyuan. The cover is foliated and the finial is in the form of a stem, and is tightly fitting. The spout emanates from a leaf form attached to the body and it is short. The handle is in the form of a twisted branch. The color is a light brown.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the body read:
Wei he ci yi chu, you wei chu wu you. Mingyuan
(Why do I take this sip? [It is because] the aroma comes from my garden villa. Mingyuan).
The seal reads: Hecun (a style name of Chen Mingyuan).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This teapot is housed in a fitted collector’s box with three other teapots.
Cf.
I-hsing Wares. Hong Kong: Sotheby Parke Bernet Ltd., Lane Crawford Ltd., May, 1978,
pp.6-7, lot 305;
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse, I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p.27, fig.4;
Jenyns, Soame. "The Teapots of I-hsing" in Bulletin of Oriental Ceramics Society of Hong Kong,
Vol. I, 1975, p.27, pl.4;
Liang, Baiquan. Yixing zi sha (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, (Cover piece).
Inventory No. NJ-1
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| STONE WEIGHT FORM YIXING TEAPOT |
This small individual teapot in the form of a stone weight is tapered with a circular lid and a rounded loop finial. The short spout is attached about one half way from the base and the handle is rounded, upward thrust and then rounded at the bottom. The color is a medium brown. The surface of the teapot has incised calligraphy, which reads:
The impressed characters, in regular script, on the bottom read: Hui Mengchen zhi (Made by Hui Mengchen).
The inscription, in regular script, reads:
Peng cha ke zhi de wei shi lai. Mengchen
(Brewing the tea, and guests arrive. Savoring the aroma, and poems come. [Signed] Mengchen).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This teapot is housed in a collector’s box with three other teapots.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse. I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p. 41, fig.12; p.43,
fig.19.
Inventory No. NJ-2
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| COMPRESSED CYLINDRICAL YIXING TEAPOT |
This compressed cylindrical shaped teapot has a flattened shoulder and a tapered bottom. The circular lid is tightly fitting and has a low, flattened loop finial. The handle is circular and the spout, which is attached at the shoulder, is short and tilted down at the end. This rare form was originally created by the renowned Ming dynasty Yixing master Shi Dabin (1580-1650), and imitated by later potters, as indicated in the inscription (below). The soil is reddish brown and has been mixed with particles that give the teapot a speckled texture.
The inscription, in regular script, reads: Le Lianli Guan, fang Dabin zhi (Made after the style of Dabin in the Le Lianli Guan [Hall of Delighting in Auspices]).
The impressed seal on the handle reads: Pengnian (i.e., the Yixing teapot artist Yang Pengnian).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This teapot is housed in a fitted collector’s box with three other teapots.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse. I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p. 41, fig.12.
Inventory No. NJ-3 |
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| BAMBOO HAT YIXING TEAPOT |
This teapot is in the form of a bamboo hat. The lid has a high dome and a slightly flattened circular knob finial. The handle has an extension on the downward turn of the handle. The spout is attached on the upper portion of the domed body of the teapot and is pointed upward. The color of the teapot in "milk chocolate" brown. The lid is tightly fitting.
The impressed seal on the bottom reads: Amantuo shi (Studio name of Chen Hongshou).
The inscription on the body of the pot, in running script, reads:
Wo Fo wu shuo Xinsi xiao chun qing yun zuo
(The state of Buddhahood is wordless. Made by Qingyun in spring of 1821).
Inscription (in running script):
Li yinhe cha qu ke, shi yi shi er
(Drinking tea to quench thirst in the shade of the tree. Here is one, and here is two [i.e., all phenomena are manifestations of tea drinking?]).
There is a fitted silk base made during the Republic Period. This teapot is housed in a fitted collector’s box with three other teapots.
Cf.
Liang Baiquan. Yixing zi sha ©y ø>= µµ ¨‚ (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, p.135, fig.56;
Lo, K.S. Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day. Hong Kong: Sotheby’s Publications,
Hong Kong University Press, 1986, p.104, fig.42;
Zhan Huaxun. Yixing taoqi tupu (Illustrated Catalog of Yixing
Pottery). Taibei: Nantian shuju, 1993, p.243.
Inventory No.NJ-4
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| LOTUS PETAL YIXING BRUSHWASHER |
A brushwasher, or coupe, in the shape of a lotus flower petal with a lotus pod and stem handle. The vessel is decorated with a small snail on the main petal, which serves as a balance. The brushwasher rests on a rosewood (hongmu) platform in the form of a leaf. This base was made in the nineteenth century. The color of the coupe is reddish brown with an excellent smooth texture.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the interior wall of the cup read:
xiang yuan yi qing
(The clearer the tea, the farther the aroma travels).
The impressed seal below the poem reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse. I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p.61, fig.37;
Liang Baiquan. Yixing zi sha (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, pp. 76-77, figs. 20, 21; p.114, fig. 28;
Lo, K.S. Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day. Hong Kong: Sotheby’s Publications,
Hong Kong University Press, 1986, p.221, fig.143.
Inventory No.NL-1
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| PEACH FORM YIXING |
This ochre colored "trick cup" is in the form of a half peach. There is a hint of red splattered on an area of the ochre surface, near the tip of the peach. The center of the cup has a three dimensional figure of the Daoist Immortal Shoulao, god of longevity, holding the Peach of Immortality. The cup rests on three legs, which are in the form of three different types of nuts. The "trick", which gives this type of cup its name, is that the vessel can only hold a certain amount of wine before it "leaks".
The impressed seals on the bottom read: Chen and Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The rosewood (hongmu) pedestal is a reticulated carving in the form of tree branches, vines, and leaves. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other scholar’s pieces.
Inventory No. NL-2
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| PINE TREE STUMP FORM YIXING CUP |
This wine/tea cup could also be a used as a brushwasher. The motif is that of a hollowed tree stump with tree bark and stem. The attached handle is in the form of a branch.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the interior wall of the cup read:
Cang ran yu sou
(An old man with a gray beard is yet plump [i.e., although one is old, one can still be vital, like the pine tree whose bark is rough, but still stands strong]).
The impressed seal below the poem reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The rosewood (hongmu) base is carved with the design of bamboo and plum blossoms and branches. This pedestal was carved in the nineteenth century. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Inventory No.NL-3
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| MELON FORM YIXING CUP/BRUSHWASHER |
A smooth finely finished cup, or brushwasher, in the form of a cut melon with a stem, made of an ochre colored clay. The exterior of the melon has an incised Chen Mingyuan inscription and impressed seal. There is a seed on the side of the interior wall. This is made of the same color soil as the stem.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the exterior wall of the cup read:
Yi piao yin
(One ladle of the drink)."
The impressed seal to the left of the poem reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The base or stand is carved of rosewood (hongmu) in the form of vines. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
I-hsing Wares. Hong Kong: Sotheby Parke Bernet Ltd., Lane Crawford Ltd., May, 1978,
p.42-3, lot 338; p.56, lot 351.
Inventory No. NL-4 |
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| EGGPLANT FORM YIXING BRUSHWASHER |
A brushwasher in the form of an Asian eggplant with a long curved stem. The color and texture of the particular Yixing soil used in this piece is very suitable to the eggplant form. The stem coils around the end of the vessel.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the exterior wall of the eggplant read:
Huxing Cai jun jie ci ming qing
(The Gentleman Cai of Huxing uses this cup to clear his mind).
The impressed seal below the poem reads: Yuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The rosewood (hongmu) base is reticulated and in a branch and leaves motif. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
Lai, Suk Yee and Bartholemew, Terese Tse. Themes and Variations: The Zisha Pottery of
Chen Mingyuan. Hong Kong: Shanghai Museum and the Chinese University of Hong
Kong, 1997, p.100, fig.17.
Inventory No. NL-5
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| PRUNUS FORM YIXING CUP |
A cup in the form of a plum blossom, with a stem handle and applied prunus decoration on the side of the cup.
The impressed seal at the center of a prunus flower on the bottom reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The rosewood (hongmu) base is a single large plum blossom form on branches. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Inventory No.NL-6
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This brushrest/inkstick rest is ingeniously designed as a piece of spotted, or "tear drop," bamboo.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the top surface of the bamboo read:
Jun zi gui mo qi jie ke jian
(The gentleman is the measure and model; his moral integrity is clearly visible).
The incised characters, in regular script, to the left of the poem, read: Yu Hongying (probably the name of the poet).
The impressed seal on the bottom reads: Yuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
There are two (hongmu) stands: The first follows the form of the underside of the brushrest itself; the second base is also shaped like the brushrest, but has a smooth top like a table. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
I-hsing Wares. Hong Kong: Sotheby Parke Bernet Ltd., Lane Crawford Ltd., May, 1978,
p.57, lot 352;
Liang, Baiquan. Yixing zi sha (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, pp.76-77, figs.20,21; pp. 116-117, fig. 29;
Lo, K.S. Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day. Hong Kong: Sotheby’s Publications,
Hong Kong University Press, 1986, p.220, fig.142.
Inventory No. NL-7
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| HALF PEACH WITH NUTS YIXING BRUSHWASHER-WATERDROPPER |
This brushwasher/waterdropper is in the naturalistic form of a hollow half peach with brownish red spots on reddish brown, purple, brown and ochre colors. Alongside the peach is a group of fruits and nuts: a pomegranate topped by a peanut and a melon seed. There are also an eggplant, chestnut, and small mushroom. The third figure for which Chen Mingyuan is famous is the flat chestnut, so this serves as as a signature piece of his work.
The incised regular characters on the exterior wall of the cup read: Chen Mingyuan zuo (Made by Chen Mingyuan).
The impressed seal below reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
The fitted rosewood (hongmu) base is reticulated an in the form of branches. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse, I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p.71, fig.46;
Lai, Suk Yee and Bartholemew, Terese Tse. Themes and Variations: The Zisha Pottery of Chen
Mingyuan. Hong kong: Shanghai Museum and the Chinese University of Hong Kong,
1997, pp.104-105, fig.21;
Liang Baiquan. Yixing zi sha (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, pp.76-77, figs. 20, 21; p.94, fig.31.
Inventory No. NL-8 |
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| GU FORM YIXING CUP |
This dark purplish brown cup has the very formal, classical shape of a truncated gu (urn), hearkening back to an archaic form. There is an incised ruyi ("as you wish") design in a repeating pattern, below a rope band near the rim.
The impressed seal on the bottom, in archaic seal script, reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan ).
A second seal reads: Hongyuan xuan (Pavilion/Studio of Rainbow Garden).
The vessel rests on a raised foot. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces. This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Inventory No. NL-9
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| HALF PEACH YIXING BRUSHWASHER-WATERDROPPER |
This natural form brushwasher-waterdropper has a hollow half peach as the water container. The side of the interior has a peach pit inside it. The supporting fruit and nut forms represent a walnut, a lotus flower bud and a chestnut. These act as the legs of the peach vessel.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the exterior wall of the cup read:
Xian jia hua guo si shi tong
(The flower and fruit of the residence of the Immortals are the same in all four seasons [i.e., are equally delicious all year around]).
The two impressed seal below the poem reads: Chen and Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan ).
The rosewood (hongmu) stand is carved like ebbing and cresting water.
This writing implement is housed in a fitted collector’s box with eight other pieces.
Cf.
Liang Baiquan. Yixing zi sha (Yixing Purple Clay Ware). Beijing:
Liangmu chubanshe, 1990, pp.76-77, figs. 20, 21; pp.104-105, fig.21.
Inventory No.NL-10
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| SIXTEEN LOBE CHRYSANTHEMUM YIXING CUP |
A wine cup in the form of an abstract chrysanthemum flower with sixteen lobes. The impressed seal is at the center of the base. The handle is squared off and has indentations on the top and bottom, corresponding to the petal like form of the cup.
The impressed seal on the bottom reads: Cheng (probably the name of the artist or studio).
This cup is housed in a fitted collector’s box with five other pieces, and four empty spaces left by cups broken during a bombing.
Inventory No.NN-2 |
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| FOUR LOBED YIXING CUP |
A reddish brown tea/wine cup with four lobed sides and a squared archaistic classical handle.
The raised seal on the bottom reads: Chen Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).
This cup is housed in a fitted collector’s box with five other pieces, and four empty spaces left by cups broken during a bombing.
Inventory No.NN-3
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| OVOID YIXING CUP |
This ovoid form teacup/wine cup is tan in color with ochre and reddish inclusions in the soil, which give both color and texture to the vessel. There are indentations to achieve a four sided flower shape. The handle is in the form of bamboo.
The impressed seal on the bottom reads: Cheng (probably the name of the artist or studio).
This cup is housed in a fitted collector’s box with five other pieces, and four empty spaces left by cups broken during a bombing.
Inventory No.NN-5 |
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| ROUNDED FORM YIXING CUP |
A wine/tea cup with reddish brown spots included in the tan body. The cup is in a classic rounded form with a mouth is encircled by a repeating pattern of squares and a stylized floral motif. The handle is rounded and attached by two cylinders. The vertical portion of the handle meets the attachments at slightly oblique angles.
The impressed square seal on the bottom reads: Cheng (probably the name of the artist or studio).
This cup is housed in a fitted collector’s box with five other pieces, four empty spaces were for four cups that were broken during a bombing.
Inventory No.NN-6
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| FIVE PETAL FLOWER FORM YIXING CUP |
A light brown teacup in the naturalistic form of a five-petal flower with a handle in the shape of silk worm larvae, attached with two cylindrical outcroppings.
The impressed square seal on the bottom reads: Cheng (probably the name of the artist or studio).
This cup is housed in a fitted collector’s box with five other pieces, four empty spaces were previously occupied by cups broken during a bombing.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse. I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, p.79, fig.54.
Inventory No.NN-8
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| EGGPLANT FORM YIXING WATERDROPPER |
A waterdropper in the form of two Asian eggplants, one larger and one smaller, made of a truly aubergine colored clay. The smaller eggplant acts as part of the grip for the waterdropper. The spout for the waterdropper is the stem of the eggplant, which has an extension from which leaves are carved onto the large eggplant.
The incised characters, in regular script, on the exterior wall of the large eggplant read: jing zhai (The respected studio).
Below this are inscribed, in regular script, the characters: Chen Mingyuan zhi (Made by Chen Mingyuan).
The impressed seal below the inscription reads: Mingyuan (i.e., Yixing teapot artist Chen Mingyuan).”
The eggplant rests on a boxwood (huangyangmu) fitted base, which is carved in a leaf motif. The waterdropper also has a fitted rosewood (hongmu) carrying/collector’s box with brass fitting, which was made in the early twentieth century.
Cf.
Bartolemew, Teresa Tse. I-hsing Ware. New York: China Institute, 1977, fig. 52, (I.M. Pei
Collection);
I-Hsing Wares, Hong Kong: Sotheby Parke Bernet Ltd., Lane Crawford Ltd., May 24, 1978,
p.42, lots 338, 351;
Chen, Keli. Yangxian shaqi jingpin tulu (Materpieces
of Yangxian Pottery). Taipei: n.p., 1985, pl. 38 (eggplant waterdropper with small eggplant and flower);
Pang, Yuanji. Xuzhai mingtao lu (Catalogue of Chinese pottery in
the Xuzhai Collection) vol. 2, n.p, n.d., p.12, fig.3 (eggplant waterdropper with small eggplant, inscribed for Jing Zhai);
Lai, Suk Yee and Bartholemew, Terese Tse. Themes and Variations: The Zisha Pottery of Chen
Mingyuan. Hong kong: Shanghai Museum and the Chinese University of Hong Kong,
1997, pp.76-77, figs.1, 4 (similar example in Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio).
Inventory No. NQ
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