Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Chinese Famille Verte Glazed Biscuit Porcelain Figure of Guandi

Kangxi period,  ca: late 17th century

Modelled in the full round and posed seated in a framed throne in an attitude of Royal Ease, with one knee slightly raised.  The Guandi, with fine and detailed features, wears an elaborate robe and armor with dragon decoration.  All boldly painted in deep enamels.  A rare type and of fine quality.

Height: 9 ¾ inches (24.7 cm.)

EX:
Important Private American Collection

Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Very Rare Chinese Verte Glazed Porcelain Playing Fu Lion

Finely modelled with great detail; the Fu Lion displaying a remarkable animated pose.  This is one of the rarest models of these figures that are seldom encountered today outside of museum collections.

Height: 5 ¼ inches (13.3 cm.)
Length: 5 ¾ inches (14.5 cm.)

EX:
French collection from the early 1900’s (acquired from Wannieck)

Similar and related examples: the collections of Octave du Sartel, France; Leonard Gow, Scotland; Richard Bennett, England; S. Wassermann, Germany; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and two in a private American Collection acquired from our gallery.

Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Chinese Famille Rose Quadrangular Porcelain Brush Pot

Yongzheng period,  AD 1723-1735

Decorated on each side with figures form a classic tale (quite likely Romance of the Western Chamber), all finely painted in bright enamels against a white ground. The top lip with a key fret design in red. The underfoot is glazed white.  An unusual type of brushpot, of rare shape and very beautifully decorated.  Square formed brushpots were more complicated to construct and keep their shape during their firing. Height: 5 ¼ inches (13.3 cm.)

Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Rare Chinese Glazed Biscuit Porcelain Ewer

Kangxi period, ca: late 17th century

In the form of a dappled yellow Carp.  Of superb quality and extremely rare in being of puzzle/ Cadogan form  that fills from the bottom and the leaf “cover” is attached and purely ornamental.  The Carp has a wonderful expression, and the coloring is deep and vibrant.

Height: 5 ¾ inches in height (14 cm)

SIMILAR EXAMPLES:
Copeland Collection (acquired our gallery) now at the Peabody Essex Museum, two in the former Allard Collection, Paris (early 1900s), and others with the famed dealer Yamanaka in the early 1900’s.

Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Rare and Superb Famille Verte Glazed Japanese Porcelain Figure of Takenouchi No Sukune

Ca mid-19th century

Of extraordinary quality.  Finely modelled in the full round.  The sage is dressed in a long robe with multi-layered and textured sleeves.  Decorated in vivid famille verte and rouge de fer enamels in Kangxi style; his face left en biscuit.

Takenouchi No Sukune was a famed semi-mythological leader from the 1st century, particularly connected with a foray into Korea.  He was deemed spiritually connected and said to have attained the age of 250 years.

Height: 18 inches (45.7 cm.)

EX:
Private Collection
Ralph M. Chait Galleries, 1970’s
Ludwig Treitel (illustrated frontispiece of the Treitel sale in New York on April 11 and 12, 1913, No. 248).

An almost identical figure but decorated only in glazed white is in the Walter’s Gallery, Baltimore and is illustrated and described by Bushell, 1896: Oriental Ceramic Art, W.T. Walters’ Collection, Section 9, PL. XCVI.  

Ralph M. Chait Galleries

Chinese Unglazed Pottery Figure of a Kneeling Camel

Tang dynasty, AD 618-907

Finely modelled in the full round and in wonderful animated pose, with head turned up towards the viewer.  The camel is laden with a pack of goods and tent planks, demonstrative of the exotic Silk Road trade of the period, All finely detailed.

Height: 10 ¼ inches (26 cm.)

EX:
American Collection
TL tested.