Antique/Vintage Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (16944A-WLE) $135

Description

In China and Japan, cats are often portrayed as small teapots that provide individualized tea servings and better retain heat. White porcelain with a clear glaze was often the preferred pottery form for teaware as it was viewed as more elegant. Since Mao (猫), the word for cat, is a homophone for octogenarian, it is a well-known Chinese longevity symbol (shou 壽). Qing dynasty and Chinese-Republic teapots have a raised paw as a spout, a popular motif of a “beckoning cat” like the famous Japanese Maneki Neko widely used in feng shui, especially among Chinese merchants, as a greeting and welcoming gesture to promote and maintain positive energy (chi) and bring good luck and fortune into their store. These cats have long ribbons (shoudai) around their necks, a homophone symbolizing longevity (shou 壽). They are charming pouring vessels that enrich any space, especially a kitchen, and their symbolic wishes for a long life and good luck make them appropriate gifts for any occasion, birthdays, housewarmings and weddings. Its condition is excellent with normal dark dot-like firing imperfections and minor scratches from age and its use. There is a blank circle seal in the mold on the bottom, and later vintage versions are stamped with “Made in China” and/or red stamped characters of the maker. As with any antique teaware, we advise they be used only for decorative purposes.