Tongzhi

(1862-1874) The Qing (Manchu) dynasty’s ninth emperor and the shortest Chinese imperial reign began when Tongzhi became emperor at age 5 and died at 19. His mother Empress Dowager Cixi sat behind a curtain in the audience hall and ruled the kingdom. Under this reign there were some attempts at political reforms known as the Tongzhi Restoration. Our pieces from this period consist of blue and white underglaze porcelains and high-fired coral red glazed pieces with orange saffron tones appearing during various reigns but were especially during the Tongzhi Period. This includes bowls, vases and hat stands, all simply made shapes whose firings resulted in orange-red and saffron colors. Often with a monotone color on the outside, gold linear decorations and/or lines of gold calligraphy were often painted over the glaze and the interiors were normally white.

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Sale!
Antique Blue and White Porcelain Miniature Ewer, China (4056B-DKM) $135
Original price was: $135.00.Current price is: $114.75.
H: 5.25″ W: 4.625″ D: 2.375″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

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. With an elegantly curved spout and handle it is covered with chrysanthemums, plantain curved vertical leaves and bindweed vines. The lid has a lotus shaped bud for lifting, and the bottom has a Chinese antique export seal.

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Antique Blue and White Porcelain Miniature Teapot, China (4056A-ZOK) $175
Original price was: $175.00.Current price is: $148.75.
H: 5.25” W: 4.75” D: 2.375” | FREE SHIPPING!

This elegantly shaped small teapot has finely painted cobalt blue chrysanthemum and bindweed designs in the center and upper registers and plantain leaf designs at the bottom, popular underglaze design elements were widely used in late 19th century in domestic and export wares. Below the short neck is a chain of roundels with nineteen spirals, and the lid is covered with bindweed and wave designs, the latter indicating a sea or lake. The lid is topped by a ball handle topped with a four-line star and the bottom has an abstract plantain leaf design. It is in very good condition with two small chips on the lid and a small chip on the end of the spout. The inside has been stained by more than a century of tea brewing.

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Antique Blue and White Porcelain Scholar’s Brush Holder, China (1933A-DOK) SPECIAL PRICE
Original price was: $255.00.Current price is: $216.75.
H: 3.25” Dia: 3.25” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

This is unusual piece was likely on a scholar’s desk along with pots, brushes, water droppers, boxes, ink stones and other daily used objects used for a variety of tasks: a brush holder, a paper weight and more. With its round body covered with the landscape of a Chinese village, mountains and seas and the calligraphic name of the scholar owner Shu Dai Ji (舒逮吉) it would be perfect for placement on any style desk or in a study.

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Antique Porcelain Ewer Quatrefoil Panels, China (18036QAS) $235
Original price was: $235.00.Current price is: $199.75.
H: 4.875″ W: 4.5″ D: 3.25″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONINENTAL U.S.

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.

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Antique Porcelain Spouted Jar with Lugs, China (1106WHE) $135
Original price was: $135.00.Current price is: $114.75.
H: 5” W: 5.25” D: 4.5” | FREE SHIPPING!

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.

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