Antique Chinese Ming/Song Dynasty Blue & White Porcelain Teapot

Description: An authentic Chinese Ming / Song dynasty porcelain teapot/wine vessel with cobalt blue and white under glaze. On the pot there is a beautiful blue peony flower along with other designs. There is also calligraphy writing on the side. The designs, motifs and calligraphy are characteristic of the Yuan/Ming Dynasties. The cobalt blue appears to be a dark blue or purple which is commonly seen on authentic Song/Ming pieces because of their limited access to cobalt. It weighs a solid 2+ pounds and measures 5.625 inches in height and 6.125 inches in diameter. This is a great opportunity to add a new piece to your existing collection or start a new one. **In most cases collectors do not want to repair the spout of an antique piece but rather leave it the current state not to affect its authenticity. Most authentic Ming pieces are not signed on the base unless they were made in an imperial kiln or approved for a work shop for the emperor's court.** The Yuan Dynasty (1206–1368) The earliest evidence of the use of cobalt blue, probably imported from the Middle East, is seen in its application as an underglaze pigment on fragments dating to the late 8th or early 9th century that were unearthed at Yangzhou in 1983. The occasional use of underglazed cobalt continued in the Northern Song. It was not until the Yuan dynasty, however, that underglazed blue decoration began a rapid rise in popularity. It was applied on fine white porcelains of the shufu type and combined with Islamic decorative taste. These blue-and-white wares soon became the most popular of all Chinese ceramics, both at home and abroad. A pair of richly ornate temple vases dated 1351 (in the Percival David Foundation in London) are proof that the technique had been fully mastered by that time. The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) The earliest evidence of the use of cobalt blue, probably imported from the Middle East, is seen in its application as an underglaze pigment on fragments dating to the late 8th or early 9th century that were unearthed at Yangzhou in 1983. The occasional use of underglazed cobalt continued in the Northern Song. It was not until the Yuan dynasty, however, that underglazed blue decoration began a rapid rise in popularity. It was applied on fine white porcelains of the shufu type and combined with Islamic decorative taste. These blue-and-white wares soon became the most popular of all Chinese ceramics, both at home and abroad. A pair of richly ornate temple vases dated 1351 (in the Percival David Foundation in London) are proof that the technique had been fully mastered by that time. The finest Jingdezhen examples were reserved for the court, but coarse varieties were made in southern China for trade with Southeast Asia or for export to the Middle East. Ming wares generally are fairly easily recognizable. Porcelain replaced stoneware as the usual medium, and polychrome decoration became widely employed. The largest single group of Ming porcelain is that painted in blue underglaze. Much of the pigment used was imported from Middle Eastern sources. Supplies of this so called Mohammedan blue (huihui qing), which came from the Kashān district of Persia, were not always obtainable and were interrupted on more than one occasion. The quality of the blue-painted wares, however, remained to a great extent dependent on its use until the end of the 16th century, when methods of refining native cobalt were devised.

Price: 5000 USD

Location: Lomita, California

End Time: 2025-01-18T00:52:28.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6500 USD