Jar and lid, moulded gourd with stained ivory fittings, China, Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign period (1662-1722), ca. 1700-1720

Moulded gourd pot, flattened globular body, moulded in relief with four quatrefoil cartouches containing asymmetric formalised dragon scrolling, applied with lion masks made of stained ivory fittings in green, the mouth moulded with a band of formalised flower designs, encircled by a plain green ivory rim, topped with a stopper of uncoloured ivory carved with flowers and inlaid on the top with a shou character in tortoiseshell.

From Register:
The lion masks are pierced as if for suspension, and are held in place by internal wire rings. The leaf-shaped plug makes the piece unstable and it is clearly designed to be hung. The stand is a later addition. The probable use is as a cricket cage, bird-feeder or other accessory of these hobbies.

For other gourds with the Kangxi shang wan mark see: Wang Shixiang, 'Moulded Gourds', translated by Craig Clunas, O.C.S. Chinese Translations Number Ten, 16-30 (p. 19) and Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, 'Chinese Moulded Gourds', International Asian Antiques Fair (Hong Kong, 1983), 49-80 (pls 1, 2, 21, 22). The latter two examples seem likely to in fact be of much later date.

CC. 29.5.87

Bought from the Grice collection, formerly loan no. 49.

A jar made from moulded gourd. Growing gourds within moulds was a special Chinese craft. The decorative design, in this case a stylized dragon within a cartouche, was carved on the wooden mould rather than on the gourd. The jar is fitted with four lion-head masks made of ivory stained green. The object was probably a decorative piece which was never put to any practical use.

FE.21 to B-1986