Antique Pair of Double Happiness Oil Lamps, China (16915BAE)

Description

The pair of antique oil lamps was clearly meant to bring good luck and happiness – to its owners. Painted with gold and red, both colors are colors of fu or good fortune. One is decorated on the top with a double lozenge (fangsheng) meaning “many treasures” and a common reference to the Eight Treasures (babao) – a combination of any of precious objects from the Chinese Hundred Treasures. Since ba, (eight) rhymes with fa (to expand), the double lozenge is a visual pun “to expand in wealth” which explains why the number 8 is so often used by Chinese for telephone, address and license plate numbers. The five leaves represent plum blossoms, symbols of perseverance and purity, and the Five Blessings or Happinesses – wealth, health, longevity, a peaceful death and the love of virtue. These symbols are common Taoist and Folk-Art references. This folk-art oil lamp with a lacquer coating was used with a wick hanging over the side, so some of top and part of its side rail has been burned away. Otherwise, they are in very good condition with surface losses, minor pitting all expected from age and use. These Functional-and-Utilitarian items are part of the VA Antique-Chinese-Wood-Carving collection.