Gillers Antiques Ltd has dated this Chinese Ceramic Water Pot to a period before the 16th Century.
Dimensions:
Height 6.5 cm, diameter 12 cm. Weight 510 g
Materials and Technique:
Buff-colored earthenware (terracotta), green and amber sancai lead glaze, molded relief decoration.
Condition:
The item is in excellent antique condition, bearing distinct marks of natural centuries-old aging. A surface enamel crack runs from the top edge downwards (verified under ultraviolet light as strictly superficial, non-penetrating), representing a natural temperature shrinkage line formed during early wood-kiln cooling—an authentic technical marker of age. The unglazed base features an impressed mark resembling the Latin letter V, a technological potter's mark or an accidental firing inclusion typical of unrefined hand-made production of the period. Currently, we are planning to submit this piece to a specialized laboratory for scientific thermoluminescence analysis, which will increase its market value by at least 3 times.
Provenance:
Private collection, United Kingdom.
Rarity and Analogues: The object belongs to rare small-form scholar's desk accessories of the early medieval period. Similar glazed vessels with molded decoration regularly appear in specialized Asian art sales at major international auction houses.
Detailed Description:
The presented vessel demonstrates an immaculate convergence of physical and chemical characteristics confirming its age, estimated at 900–1100 years. The form featuring a square central opening and sharp horizontal division into green and amber zones is characteristic of Khitan aesthetics (Liao Empire), which frequently imitated hammered metalwork in ceramic form. The lower tier is adorned with a classic continuous floral relief typical of this era.
The primary argument for historical authenticity is the condition of the lead glaze. The green enamel field exhibits deep silver iridescence and a pearl-metallic sheen. This specific patina forms exclusively through the natural chemical degradation of lead during centuries of burial in soil—a process that cannot be artificially accelerated or authentically simulated.
The unglazed base displays a coarse, porous body bearing dense, embedded traces of age-old oxidation and soil contact. The manufacturing technique, nature of firing imperfections, and irreversible structural changes in the glaze safely classify this inkwell as an authentic artifact of the early Chinese Middle Ages.
Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. If you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance. It is important to note that shipping costs include labour, packaging and postage.
Gillers Antiques Ltd has dated this Chinese Ceramic Water Pot to a period before the 16th Century.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Gillers Antiques Ltd Profile Page
Antique Chinese Ceramic Waterpot / Scholar's Water Vessel, Tang to Liao Dynasty (9th–11th Century Ad).
