Tea Bowl and Saucer
MakerMade by
Unknown
Dateearly 19th century
MediumWheel-thrown Chinese export porcelain with overglaze brown enamel
DimensionsComponent (height x diameter of tea bowl): 1 7/8 x 3 1/2in. (4.8 x 8.9cm)
Component (diameter of saucer): 5 1/4in. (13.3cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineBequest of Agnes T. Allen
Object number1968.15.2a-b
DescriptionChinese export porcelain tea bowl and saucer with hand-painted overglaze brown, or sepia-toned, enamel.
Tea bowl (.a): The tea bowl is decorated at the outside of the rim with three solid lines of brown enamel with a line of brown dots between the top two solid lines. Below these is a scalloped, dotted line. Periodically, around the tea bowl, the scalloped line is decorated with a cluster of flowers. Well below these flowers, further down the outside of the tea bowl, four additional decorations are hand-painted. Two of these are a flower and leaves, while the other two decorations are more abstract lines or leaves. The inside rim of the tea bowl is decorated with a line of small arrowheads. The inside bottom of the tea bowl is decorated with a large flower with smaller flowers around it. Imperfections in the porcelain appear as lines or dots on the surface. A large black, or dark brown, circle on the inside side of the tea bowl appears to be burn damage to the glaze and porcelain below.
Saucer (.b): The saucer is decorated with a central large flower with smaller flowers grouped around it. This is surrounded by an area of white, then a circular border of small arrowheads, hand-painted on the inside edge of the rim. The outer edge of the rim has the same series of borders as the tea bowl, beginning with three solid lines of brown enamel with a line of brown dots between the top two solid lines. Below these is a scalloped, dotted line. In four places around the tea bowl, the scalloped line is decorated with a cluster of flowers. Imperfections in the porcelain appear as lines or dots on the surface of the saucer.
Tea bowl (.a): The tea bowl is decorated at the outside of the rim with three solid lines of brown enamel with a line of brown dots between the top two solid lines. Below these is a scalloped, dotted line. Periodically, around the tea bowl, the scalloped line is decorated with a cluster of flowers. Well below these flowers, further down the outside of the tea bowl, four additional decorations are hand-painted. Two of these are a flower and leaves, while the other two decorations are more abstract lines or leaves. The inside rim of the tea bowl is decorated with a line of small arrowheads. The inside bottom of the tea bowl is decorated with a large flower with smaller flowers around it. Imperfections in the porcelain appear as lines or dots on the surface. A large black, or dark brown, circle on the inside side of the tea bowl appears to be burn damage to the glaze and porcelain below.
Saucer (.b): The saucer is decorated with a central large flower with smaller flowers grouped around it. This is surrounded by an area of white, then a circular border of small arrowheads, hand-painted on the inside edge of the rim. The outer edge of the rim has the same series of borders as the tea bowl, beginning with three solid lines of brown enamel with a line of brown dots between the top two solid lines. Below these is a scalloped, dotted line. In four places around the tea bowl, the scalloped line is decorated with a cluster of flowers. Imperfections in the porcelain appear as lines or dots on the surface of the saucer.
Status
Not on view
