A Chinese blue and white 'Toad' ewer, WanliL.: 15 cm - H.: 1...

Hammer

€10,000

A Chinese blue and white 'Toad' ewer, Wanli

L.: 15 cm - H.: 15,5 cm | incl. handle

Provenance:
- Vanderven Oriental Art, 's Hertogenbosch.
- The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 1 September 1989 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice and taxation rapport. (see added scans)

A porcelain ewer shaped as a toad, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue. The skin stippled on a blue-washed ground reserved with prunus flower heads. The toad's head is modelled with bulbous eyes, the cylindrical mouth forming the spout. The back has an open aperture with a gently flaring rim, between a replaced upright metal loop handle. The flat base is left unglazed.
The toad is an auspicious motif in Chinese art, associated with wealth, longevity, and the moon. Such imagery may have carried wishes for prosperity and long life.

Reference:
- An identical example, with handle, was in the Morpurgo Collection, sold by Sotheby's London, 8 November 2018, lot 10 and currently with Marchant. (sold GBP 47.500)
- Another example with handle is in the Idemitsu Museum of Art, Japan, illustrated in 'Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Museum Collection', no. 829.

Condition reports and additional high-resolution zoomable images are available on our website www.rm-auctions.com, or by request via info@rm-auctions.com. The Autumn sale continues on Saturday 5 September, full catalogue available on our website soon.