Bats

A bat (fu 蝠) is a homphone and a visual pun for fu (fu 福) as “good fortune” or “happiness” as both words have a similar pronunciations. An upside-down bat means “to have arrived” as the character (dao 倒) for “upside-down” and the character (dao 到) for bat are also homophones So, a bat flying upside down means “happiness has arrived.” The bat is one of the most popular rebuses, symbolizes “blessings” or “riches” and five bats together symbolize the five most auspicious wishes (the 5 Blessings) one can wish for in life: health, prosperity, long life, a natural death and the love of virtue. Red bats mean “widespread good fortune” and bats with a swastika mean “ten thousand-fold wishes for good fortune and happiness.”

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  • Sale!

    Antique Carved Sweetmeat Confection Mold, China (3214A-BKE) $475

    Original price was: $475.00.Current price is: $403.75.
    H: 5.625″ W: 27.875″ D: 9.75″ | FOR SHIPPING INFORMATION CONTACT US AT 213-568-3030 OR EMAIL [email protected]

    This exceptionally crafted and beautiful footed confection mould was most probably a marriage gift from a wealthy family to the newlyweds as seen its symbolisms.  It is elaborated and ornately decorated in vibrant reds and gilt with auspicious symbols for fidelity, fertility and happiness with lotuses and pods filled with seeds, bats, paired fish and intertwined vines  representing a life pair, having sons, and other marriage wishes.

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    Antique Ceramic Wall Pocket Double Chopsticks Holder, China, Shiwan (19325A-GHK) $185

    Original price was: $185.00.Current price is: $157.25.
    H: 7.125″ W: 8.375″ D: 3.75″  |  FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.

    This Shiwan green chopsticks holder is divided into two parts with holes on top for hanging and small holes on the bottom for drainage. Chopsticks were often wedding gifts from mothers to daughters with many auspicious wishes: phrases for sons as soon as possible, upside down bats with coins and ribbon meaning “blessings in front of your eyes,”  and border clouds and thunder symbolizing life-giving rain and abundance.

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    Antique Garden Stool with Framed Panels, China (16779ZLSE) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $1,450.00.Current price is: $1,232.50.
    H: 18.25”  W: 12”  D: 11.25” | FOR SHIPPING INFORMATION CONTACT US AT 213-568-3030 or [email protected]

    This stunning antique garden stool has parallel ridges surrounding its body and is a fine and rare piece. Hand thrown with a thick high-fired stable body, it has six framed panels with historic and symbolic images against a white background focusing on the finely made and intricate designs surrounded by rich cobalt blue. Most garden stools were made in a drum or barrel shape, far fewer were hexagonal and fewer still had auspicious objects and poems framed within the panels. This fine piece was created for the garden of a rich family, as cobalt was highly prized and expensive used in sparing amounts unless bound for an an important client. This unique piece has not only outstanding rendered panels, but the objects represented there were included to provide a flow of blessings, good wishes, energy and good fortune to those using it.

     

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    Antique Jewelry Box with Auspicious Symbols, China (16782BKE) $385

    Original price was: $385.00.Current price is: $327.25.
    H: 8.5″ W: 15″ D:5″ |  CALL 213-568-3030 OR EMAIL [email protected] FOR SHIPPING COST

    This vibrant jewelry box containing 5 drawers with teardrop pulls is decorated with familiar auspicious symbols to bring blessings and good luck to its female owner. Red, the color of fu symbolizes blessings for a virtuous and blissful life; the young women on the doors holding lotus stems symbolize beauty and purity; and the 5 bats around a longevity character on the top mean “May you have a harmonious marriage with the Five Blessings.” With its propitious meanings, this charming box was probably a bride’s wedding gift that would still be appropriate today.

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    Antique Shiwan Stoneware Wall Pocket Chopsticks Holder, China (16031A TLK) $115

    Original price was: $115.00.Current price is: $97.75.
    H:  6.75″ W: 4.875″ D: 2.5″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.

    Decorative every day Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine craftsmanship, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes. Shiwan potters mixed waste materials with local and inexpensive clay – one of the earliest artistic forms of recycling. Shiwan chopsticks holders are unique kitchen accessories, especially as wedding gifts.

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    Antique Stoneware Wall Pocket Chopsticks Holder, China, Shiwan China (16966A-PAL) $115

    Original price was: $115.00.Current price is: $97.75.
    H: 7.375″ W: 5.125″ D: 2.5″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Decorative utilitarian Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine modeling, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes.  Chopsticks were commonly stored in wall pockets with a hole for mounting. Covered with auspicious symbols, they were often part of a bride’s dowry as “chopsticks” is a pun for “speedy arrival of sons.” It can hold utensils, dried flowers, and other objects and is a unique wedding gift.

     

  • Sale!

    Antique Stoneware Wall Pocket Chopsticks Holder, Shiwan, China (16966B-PAL) $115

    Original price was: $115.00.Current price is: $97.75.
    H: 7.375″ W: 5.125″ D: 2.5″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Decorative utilitarian Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine modeling, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes. Chopsticks were commonly stored in wall pockets with a hole for mounting. Covered with auspicious symbols, they were often part of a bride’s dowry as “chopsticks” is a pun for “speedy arrival of sons.” It can hold utensils, dried flowers, and other objects and is a unique wedding gift.

  • Sale!

    Antique/Vintage Small Square Rug with 4 Bats, China (3373DRE)

    Original price was: $375.00.Current price is: $318.00.
    H: 26″    W: 26″        |  FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Perfect for meditation to sit on, an accent piece or hung on a wall, this small antique vibrant fringed carpet square has the quintessential auspicious design motif – the bat, or even better four of them. The word bat (fu) is a homophone and wish for blessings, happiness and riches. Upside down ones are a pun for the word arrival, meaning blessings have arrived. Double blessings arrive with 2 bats and 4 is the lucky jackpot bring quadrupled blessings. Why not have good luck and beauty too.

  • Sale!

    Brick Tile of Couple Feasting and Figure Pointing to Flying Bat, China (3349BLE) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $465.00.Current price is: $375.00.

    This late Song dynasty earthenware ceramic brick tile portrays a couple sitting behind a banquet table with foods placed in front of them. On the right are two figures, one of whom points to a stylized image of a bat flying in the sky.

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