Vase
about 1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This vase is actually the base of a water pipe, imitating a form found in glass or metal ware. The shape is based on a Mughal or Indo-Islamic pipe, which is round, these sometimes sat on a separate ring for added stability. The base would have been fitted with metal parts to hold burning charcoal or tobacco and a long metal pipe. The cafe-au-lait or lustrous brown glaze is also often associated with Indo-Islamic markets.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain with brown glaze and underglaze blue decoration |
| Brief description | Vase, porcelain with brown glaze and underglaze blue decoration, China, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, about 1700 |
| Physical description | Porcelain vase with bulbous body, flanged neck and a cup-shaped mouth. The body has four medallions reserved in white on a brown ground, each containing stylised floral and foliage painted in underglaze blue. Round the shoulder and inside the mouth, a band of diaper pattern in blue and white. Base unglazed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | Chinese water pipe
China, Jingdezhen, about 1700
C.959-1910, Salting Bequest(2009) |
| Credit line | Salting Bequest |
| Object history | Bequeathed by Mr. George Salting, accessioned in 1910. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This vase is actually the base of a water pipe, imitating a form found in glass or metal ware. The shape is based on a Mughal or Indo-Islamic pipe, which is round, these sometimes sat on a separate ring for added stability. The base would have been fitted with metal parts to hold burning charcoal or tobacco and a long metal pipe. The cafe-au-lait or lustrous brown glaze is also often associated with Indo-Islamic markets. |
| Bibliographic reference | Kerr, Rose and Luisa E. Mengoni Chinese Export Ceramics London: V&A Publishing, 2011, p.108, pl.155 |
| Other number | Loan no. 140 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.959-1910 |
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| Record created | December 19, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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