Featured Large Chinese Monk Statute - Thoughts?

Discussion in 'Pottery, Glass, and Porcelain' started by KikoBlueEyes, May 29, 2021.

  1. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    I was excited to find this large (16 inch tall) statute. It was presented as a monk purchased in China 60 years ago, and it was already old. The face and hands are unglazed, while the robe, cap, and other parts are very shiny. The painting is precise. This is a raised character in the ivory clay bottom and a small hole. It is heavy - too heavy for my scale and the bottom appears aged.
    I couldn't find anything remotely like it, so I am hoping someone here can give me information. Perhaps the source, age range, anything. Any help, comments, thoughts or ideas will be highly appreciated.

    IMG_0800.jpg IMG_0801.jpg IMG_0802.jpg IMG_0803.jpg IMG_0804.jpg IMG_0805.jpg IMG_0806.jpg IMG_0807.jpg IMG_0810.jpg IMG_0812.JPG
     
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  2. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    @Ce BCA Could this be the nan shi mark?
     
    judy likes this.
  3. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    it's very nice !
     
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  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    It looks like Shiwan ware, although I haven't seen this blue and white before. Maybe a relatively new development? It is nice, whatever the age.
    Do you mean Nian Zhi? That means 'period make'. It isn't a Nian Zhi mark though.
     
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  5. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    Thank you. I love the detail and size.
     
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  6. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    That's what I was thinking, but didn't know for sure, as I buy few ceramics.

    No I was referring to this mark I found in an article about Shiwan ware marks.

    "Nan shi (南石)/ Nan Shi Tang(南石堂)/Wu Nanshi (吴南石) - Generally the wares in this category are noted for their quality. Some of the finest are in the form of vases and incense burners imitating bronze shapes. The biscuit is usually light buff, smooth and does not contain the coarse sand granules found on the most Shiwan wares."


    [​IMG]


    Ming/Qing Shiwan Pottery (koh-antique.com)

    Thanks so much for looking at this piece.
     
    Any Jewelry likes this.
  7. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    @Any Jewelry I figured out how to copy the photo. It is the middle mark.
     
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  8. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    :)
    Your top character does look like Shi, but the bottom one looks different, so we need CeBca, @JayBee or @Couch Potato Wannabe .:)
    There are several makers, but the Shi does seem to point to Shiwan.
     
    KikoBlueEyes likes this.
  9. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    Thank you for calling on some people to help. I was guessing. I try to do as much researching as I can before I post something. I also continue to look, while waiting for responses. This looked like the mark to my untrained eye.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2021
    komokwa and Any Jewelry like this.
  10. cxgirl

    cxgirl Well-Known Member

  11. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    Fabulous. Thanks cx girl. I couldn't find anything after hours of searching. The first one is certainly the same, but it is ironic that they called it Chinese when it has a made in japan label.
     
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  12. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    That would explain why I had never seen blue and white Shiwan before. It isn't Shiwan. Still nice though.
    A bit like Chinese Satsuma, only the other way around.
     
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  13. Brian Warshaw

    Brian Warshaw Well-Known Member

    That face is fantastic; so real.
     
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  14. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    Yes. The Shiwan monk figures I saw had plain robes. Untangling these connections is always so fascinating.
     
  15. Ce BCA

    Ce BCA Well-Known Member

    九杏 Jiǔ Xìng, probably Chinese given the text. Base and face look intentionally shaded so likely later 20th century. Nice made though, a lot of work went into it. Some of the decorations are Buddhist precious objects, there are all kinds of others too including an artemesia leaf and pomegranate.
     
  16. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    Ce. Thank so much for this. It was wishful thinking on my part that the marks were the same. That date matches "the bought 60 years ago" report, though it must have been new then, not old. I like it and I'll let in hang around for a while. I have an orphaned large satsuma vase that is alone. They can hang around together. :D Thanks again for the accurate translation.
     
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  17. JayBee

    JayBee Well-Known Member

    The characters are jiu gu / 九谷, for 九谷瓷器 or Kutani porcelain. This is however bizarre, as Kutani Ware is Japanese, and none of it looks Chinese. Like Any Jewelry, it seems to me to be Shi Wan (or Sek Wan) and I used to see a lot of it in Macao when I lived there.
    (I wrote first none of it is blue/white but that's not right. There's blue/white Kutani Ware.)
    Screenshot_20210530-181640.jpg

     
    Last edited: May 30, 2021
  18. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    I think you got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is detailed listing of a piece that has a similar figure as Kutani

    signed-japanese-blue-and-white-kutani-porcelain-statue.jpg
    Signed Japanese Blue and White Kutani Porcelain Statue Figure of Sau, the Immortal With His Deer | Chairish

    "Vibrantly enamelled and fine porcelian figure of the Immortal God of Longevity 'Sau' sitting on a rock with his faithful deer and his staff resting on his shoulder. Made in the famous Kutani area of Japan known for it's fine ceramic works.
    Rich blues and white decorate the ornately patterned long sleeved robe, with unusual un-glazed face and hands. This gives a three dimensional effect to the statue. The piece is stamped on the underside - Kutani. This particular piece came from an estate of a long time collector of all objects Asian. A beautiful piece of handcrafted workmanship."

    Actually there are many in the google listing:

    kutani ware blue and white statue - Google Search
     
    Figtree3 and Any Jewelry like this.
  19. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

  20. KikoBlueEyes

    KikoBlueEyes Well-Known Member

    JayBee. Thanks so much for the follow up. I have looked around and there are dozens of examples of this figure in a blue and white robe with different postures called Kutani. Your comments are a great lead for further research, as I would like to pin down the age. Thank you. Kiko
     
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