Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic China, China (17022C)

Description

In China and Japan, cats are often portrayed as small clear glazed white porcelain which was viewed as elegant. Small pots to provide individualized tea servings were used to offer many advantages. They assured tea was hot when poured, allowed maximum use of leaves, limited bitterness and made brewing more precise as water was infused with flavor faster. Cats were popular pot motifs since the word for cat (Mao) is a homophone for octogenarian and a well-known Chinese longevity symbol. Qing dynasty and Chinese Republic teapots have a raised paw spout of a “beckoning cat” like the Japanese Maneki Neko used in feng shui. Chinese merchants used them as a welcoming gesture, to promote and maintain positive energy (chi) and bring good luck into their store. These cats wear long ribbons around their necks, symbolizing longevity. They enrich any space, especially a kitchen. They symbolize wishes for long life and good luck make them great gifts for any occasion: birthdays, housewarmings and weddings.

Beautifully hand-painted whimsical and colorful designs include a thin ribbon-like blue collar, an impressive dangling ornamental bow, and the black accents that define the face, ears, head and paws.There is an indented circle on the bottom without Chinese characters and no red stamp or seal naming the maker or factory. This piece is likely an antique dating to the Qing Dynasty and dating circa 1900-1920. Later pieces have “Made in China” or stamps of the maker on the bottom. As with any antique teapots, we advise they be used only for decorative purposes. Excellent condition with normal firing imperfections and scratches demonstrating its age and use.