Antique Wood Oil Lamp Double Fish Design, China (16902A-POK) $295

Description

This charming oil lamp with a lacquer coating is decorated with highly recognized auspicious symbols and was used to entice positive energy and luck to the fortunate owners, especially as it related to marriage and fertility to produce many sons. Fish symbolize harmony, marital happiness and are known for their happiness swimming in their environment and double fish  mean “may there be abundance.” The oil cup is carved as a large lotus seed pod above an undulating lotus leaf. Two words for lotus are hehua, a pun for harmony (he) and lianhua, a homophone meaning successive or continuous (lian). They are symbols of a harmonious and fruitful marriage and also mean “the continuous birth of sons,” an idea central to Confucian beliefs and Chinese culture. The lotus is an Asian and Buddhist symbol of purity.  Its seedpod blooms early and its many seeds are a symbol and harbinger of ‘the early arrival of sons.”  It may have originally been among gifts for a newly wed couple and would serve the same purpose today.  In excellent condition, this was a well-used folk-art piece demonstrated by charred cup edges common to most antique wood oil lamps. This lamp pairs well with Antique Oil Wood Lamp (16902B-POK) and one or both may have been gifts for a newly married couple  to wish them well in marriage and in having sons. It is part of the VA  Collection of Antique-Chinese-wood-carving.