Antique Chinese Sancai Chicken Burial Ewer - Qing/Republic

A Chinese ceramic ewer in the shape of a chicken with the tricolor glazes that looks from the Tang dynasty. It isn’t Tang but probably dates to the late Qing/early Republic period.

 

The ceramic teapot is in the shape of a ewer with a chicken motif that has applied wing feathers, handle, body embellishments and a shaped chicken head spout. The unperforated beak is a “blind spout” and cannot function as a pouring spout and the original vessel's main purpose, upon which the design is based, was as a fanciful tomb furnishing for the afterlife. The glaze is shiny and soft feeling and has run and pooled in places. The unglazed foot is shallow, cut and worn feeling.

 

Although ceramics that play homage to designs from the Tang period have been produced in the same way since at least late Ming/early Qing (17th C), based on wear and the green glaze, this teapot most likely dates from the late 19th C./ early 20th C.

 

MEASUREMENTS

 

8” (20.3 cm) long x 5 ½” (14.0 cm) diameter x 5 ½” (14.0 cm) tall. Weighs 2 lbs 0.1 oz (600 g)

 

CONDITION

 

 

A hand made piece with much applied work and hand decorating that has the feeling of an antique from the Tang dynasty.