Shoulao (壽) is one of the most popular Chinese gods as he is the God of Longevity and his name is homophonous with the word for peaches, also a symbol of longevity. Longevity symbols are ubiquitous in Chinese art and everyday life, found within and outside dwellings, in paintings and prints, on textiles, clothing and jewelry among other items. Longevity was important to Confucians who believed wisdom comes with age and to Taoists who seek immortality. The most common symbols of longevity and the wish for a long life include butterflies, cats, coral, cranes, chrysanthemums, citron, deer, evergreens, fly whisk, lingzhi mushrooms, oxen, peaches, peonies, pine trees, rocks, roses, rabbits, storks, tigers and tortoises. The Taoist Queen Mother of the West and Amitabha Buddha are both associated with longevity. Lu Dongbin and his fly whisk, as well as the other seven Chinese Immortals and their personal identifying symbols are also longevity symbols.
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This elegant Chinese Republic Period porcelain is the Taoist immortal Han Xiangzi carrying his auspicious flute dressed in a beautiful blue robe with wide black borders, fine internal decorations and a decorative yellow floral undergarment. On the bottom is the kiln seal. As the patron saint of musicians and florists, it is a great gift for someone who enjoys these pursuits.
Yixing stoneware teapots are praised as the best in the world for tea infusion. This gorgeous, extremely rare antique teapot with tight-fitting lid and elegant spout is finely decorated with a brown wash and hand applied bright painted enamel designs designs of a scene from the Peking opera Romance of Three Kingdoms. The floral images are a wish for a long and healthy life, perfect metaphors for those sharing a fresh pot of tea with those they love. Kiln seals are impressed in the body, bottom and lid.
This earthenware brick tile bordered with a deep scalloped frame depicts a vase with a bouquet of propitious flowers: a chrysanthemum and a peony wrapped with an elegant ribbon. Tiles like this were made to decorate the large numbers of buildings created during the prosperous Song dynasty and to adorn tombs. This elegant brick is in good condition for its age with expected chips and cracks, some restoration of background and a re-glued frame break on each side. It has earth adherents from its burial in a tomb.
This intricately hand carved antique Chinese hardwood confection mold was used to create mooncakes to celebrate the Mid Autumn Moon Festival. The five separate molds are references to the Jade Rabbit, the mythical hare residing on the moon who creates the elixir of mortality and eats Osmanthus leaves. Filled with symbolic references, it is an intriguing and beautiful piece of art.
Chinese Republic ceramic parrots are commonly depiction as this one perched on an open rocky base. Porcelain parrots were produced for the domestic and export markets and sometimes sold in pairs leading some to believe they, like pairs of fish, symbolized the love and fidelity of married couples. This one has vivid polychrome colors, large eyes and stylized wings. This piece is in excellent condition.
This Song earthenware tile depicts the legendary scholar, poet and alchemist Taoist deity Lu Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals, who sought to discover the elixir of immortality and used charms still used in Chinese homes to prevent illness and ward off evil. He and his fly whisk are auspicious symbols of longevity and a wish for immortality.
Originally mounted on the wood stick now inserted into an acrylic stand, this vintage elegantly dressed female doll is a dancer in ceremonial dress holding her elongated finely defined hands in front of her chest. Her wood head is beautifully painted and her black hair is intricately coiffed in a bun, a ponytail down her back, and with two upstanding ovals decorated with sequins, cloth, and plastic florals. She wears a long beige flowing dress with a contrasting yellow jacket, belt and sash that hangs down to the base inset with five pedal sequin flowers symbolizing a plum blossom and a wish for the Five Blessings and longevity.
Originally mounted on the wood stick now inserted into its acrylic stand, this vintage, stately, elegantly dressed female folk-art doll is an opera dancer in ceremonial dress holding her elongated finely defined hands in front of her chest. Her wood head is beautifully painted and her black hair is intricately coiffed in a bun and ponytail down her back and adorned with two upward standing ovals decorated with sequins, cloth and plastic florals. She wears a long flowing beige dress with a contrasting yellow jacket, belt and sash hanging down to the base with five pedaled green flower plum blossoms, inset sequins, highlighted and outlined with silver thread and bright red shoes.
Originally mounted on the wood stick between his legs and now inserted to its acrylic stand, this vintage male doll is an attendant offering a huge peach. His large oval head is almost bald and his black hair remains only in a small patches on the sides of his head. He wears a typical colorful folk-art Chinese dance costume: bright red shoes, yellow pants, a greenish-blue coat with florals, a high sequined yellow belt, and a wide blue sash outlined with silver and gold thread and colored 5-petal silver sequin plum blossoms hanging down to the base evoking a wish for the Five Blessings or Happinesses. It is in very good condition with expected wear and minor paint losses and charming spotting on the face.
This Chinese Republic Period delicate porcelain figurine holds a rose at her heart in her right snow white hand, her left arm covered by her shawl resting on a waist-high decorative vase with an opening to hold incense (joss) sticks. Her shawl drapes over her shoulders and lower garment with floral motifs extending to the beaded belt at her waist. The sweet facial expression with slightly smiling bowed lips is framed by her piled hair looped in a chignon over each ear. Given her luxurious garments and accessories, she is an aristocratic woman. The rose was often used on porcelains during this period, representing eternal spring.
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