Pouring vessels have been used for thousands of years for a variety of religious and secular purposes. Drinks were offered to present to and honor divinities, ancestors and souls of the departed. In Greece, a libation is a ritual and sacred act of pouring wine from a jug preceding the drinking of wine and also considered an act of Greek piety. In Rome, libations were often a liquid offering of unmixed wine and perfume and an offering act of worship. The Burmese have a Buddhist ritual pouring of water from a vase at the end of a Buddhist ceremony that acts to share the accrued merits gained in this act with all other living beings. Hindu deities are offered water in daily puja and home and temple offering rituals to honor them, and the Chinese pour tea or wine from side to side in front of tombstones and altars as an offering to gods and to honor the departed. In a non-religious or sacred context, pouring vessels are used on a daily basis for fluids of all kinds but especially wine and water, but they can also be used to pour spices, oils, cosmetics, fragrances, ointments, etc.
Showing 13–24 of 36 results
This thin-walled ancient Roman vessel is a beautiful work of art. Its has a delicate piriform (pear-shaped) body and fine relief designs of a rosette, lion and palm leaves surround it.
This charming miniature ewer or small pitcher was made during the Tongzhi Period and probably used in a restaurant or home kitchen as a dispenser for soy sauce, oils or other liquids. Likely from a provincial area, the spout and handle are elegantly curved. The thick cobalt blue designs are set on a spotted grey ground with a chrysanthemum on each side and abstract plantain curved vertical leaf designs below. There are also bindweed vines on both sides, neck and lid and the oval above the flower. The lid’s underside is unglazed and has a lotus shaped bud atop for lifting, and the inside and lid’s underside has century old stains from soy, dried oil or other dark liquids attesting to its age and use. It is in good condition with some chips, discoloration and spotting consistent with its age and use. The bottom has a Chinese antique export seal.
This large Meiji hand-made Japanese cast iron tetsubin tea kettle with a lid with a lotus bud, ornamental top handle, and curved pouring spout was for boiling and pouring water to brew tea for Japanese tea ceremonies. The simplicity of its form combined with its elegant raised galloping horse design is perfect for warming up kitchens of any style.
Japanese cast iron tetsubin teapots like this have traditionally been used to boil water for the Japanese Tea Ceremony. With its large handle, rounded shape, pitted surface and rare ornamental temple-shaped knob it would enhance any kitchen and be a wonderful gift of any tea lover.
Japanese cast iron Tetsubin tea kettles have been prized for their health benefits and zen simplicity since they were introduced 400 years ago. This elegant antique kettle has a scalloped top, curved handle and contrasting textures and simple designs on its lid with a lotus shaped knob. This kettle would enhance any kitchen décor and be a wonderful gift for any tea lover.
This delicate antique Yixing teapot is unusually shaped with a loop handle, short spout, flaring rim, small flat cover and small loops below its rim that indicate it may have been used to suspend oil or soy sauce rather than serve tea. Its charm is enhanced by its free hand-painted colored enamels with circular panels containing fanciful and bright floral and leaf decorations.
This delicate antique Yixing teapot is unusually shaped with a loop handle, short spout, flaring rim, small flat cover and small loops below its rim that indicate it may have been used to suspend oil or soy sauce rather than serve tea. Its charm is enhanced by its free hand-painted colored enamels with circular panels containing fanciful and bright floral and leaf decorations.
This charming antique white glazed porcelain figurine is a cat teapot with a raised paw with removable head for pouring liquid into the vessel and long sinuous tail as a handle to pour liquid from the opening at the end of the paw. The hand painted design is whimsical and colorful with a thin ribbon-like blue collar and a dangling ornamental bow with black accents defining the face, ears, head and paws.
This elegantly shaped and beautiful high-fired antique porcelain ewer was decorated on its outside with a saffron-colored glaze called a coral red glaze. The sides have a white glazed quatrefoil panel with hand-painted multi-colored floral designs on a white background within a gold frame interspersed among sinuous gold leaf vines across the body and neck and a white glaze covers the inside and bottom. Its beauty is enhanced with its graceful spout, colorful white and gold panel beautiful.
Utilitarian ceramics like this were used in home kitchens and restaurants to hold oil, sauces, soy or other liquids. This spouted blue and white porcelain jar has four loops, also called lugs, so a natural fiber such as rattan could be threaded to either secure a top create a way to hang it to a peg. Sealing the top was very useful if the jars contained liquid and needed to be transported. The piece is decorated in a free and expressive manner with a charming impression of a country scene of a building in a landscape surrounded by tall trees. The cobalt is thick and dark in some areas of the foliage and applied with a thin, sparing and light brush elsewhere.
This very attractive antique green glazed teapot is typical of the stoneware pottery made in the Shiwan kilns in Guangdong during the 18-19th century. Finely designed, this hexagonal pot has a yoked rounded handle with spiral decorations that adds a delightful touch. The pieces are well known for their brilliant flambé—or flame-like quality – glazes such as apple green glaze of this pot.
This refined traditional 19th century teapot is a Kyūsu (急須) ware with a high handle mainly used for brewing green tea. Each Kyo piece is custom made and hand-painted. This small, striking teapot was fired to create a luminescent beige color with a crackled glaze resulting in a glowing radiance. It is decorated with red and blue chrysanthemums with green petals in a gold-painted woven basket, a lid with blue chrysanthemum topped by a ball with a hole to allow steam to escape. Production of Kyo ware is limited, making these pieces rare and highly collected throughout the world.
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