A Chinese Teapot and Cover, Qianlong, circa 1750
This Chinese export teapot and cover is moulded in the form of a melon or gourd. The spout and handle are modelled as a mythical beast, perhaps a dragon or phoenix, with the spout forming the head and the handle the tail. The sides are decorated with underglaze blue foliate cartouches containing a famille rose depiction of a lady in a fenced garden. She stands between a hollow rock and a bamboo clump. These two natural features are repeated in cartouches on the cover. The handle and spout are decorated with an underglaze blue flower, and the teapot shoulder and cover rim are decorated with a trellis design.
Condition: The enamel and gilt decoration is good, with some wear to the knop from use. There is a small chip to the edge of the cover, and a short stable hairline to the teapot rim. Typical manufacturing flaws include potting, glazing and firing anomalies such as glaze crawl, which can be seen around the handle terminals and the spout opening, along with pinholes and clay tears. No restoration.
Dimensions: Height (to top of knop) 15.5 cm
Chinese Export Ceramics, Rose Kerr and Luisa E. Mengoni (V&A Publishing, 2011).