Porcelain Cat Teapot, Chinese Republic (19420D-QAS) $135

Description

In China and Japan cats are often portrayed in the form of small-teapots that provide individualized servings and better retain heat for the tea.  Porcelain with a glaze surface was the preferred form for these teaware pouring vessels as it was viewed as more elegant. Since Mao (猫), the word for cat in Chinese, is a homophone for octogenarian, it has been a well-known Chinese longevity symbol (shou 壽). Chinese Republic cat teapots are often portrayed with a raised paw as its spout and a removable head to add water, 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 and to promote and maintain positive energy (chi) and bring good luck and fortune into their store. These pottery cats often have long ribbons (shoudai) around their necks as a homophone and symbol for longevity (shou 壽). This is an antique/vintage piece from the Qing Dynasty or Chinese Republic and is unique as its paw rests on on a mouse. As symbolic wish for a long life and good luck these charming teapots enrich any space, especially a kitchen and are special gifts for any occasion, like house warmings and birthdays. It is in excellent with minor, normal dark dot-like firing imperfections as on most white glazed objects, minor discoloration, and scratches demonstrating its age and use.  As with all antique teaware, we advise they be used only for decorative purposes.