A MINIATURE SANCAI-GLAZED PILGRIM’S FLASK WITH MUSICIANS AND DUCKS, TANG DYNASTY
Lot 38 - SING0925

Published: Koos de Jong, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, 2021, p. 156-157, fig. 134, and p. 177, fig. 157.

China, 618-906. Of flattened circular form, supported on a flaring foot and rising to a cylindrical neck with a tall galleried rim, the shoulders applied with pierced, S-shaped suspension eyes. Decorated to one side with two musicians, one playing a lute (pipa), the other a flute, and the reverse molded with a pair of mandarin ducks, each enclosed in a peach-form reserve. Covered in cream, green, and amber glazes, stopping well above the foot to reveal the buff ware.

Provenance: Lam, Hong Kong, 1998. Collection of Dr. Koos de Jong, acquired from the above. A Dutch art historian and collector, Dr. Koos de Jong has worked across several cultural institutions in the Netherlands from 1976, serving as the director of the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch between 1999-2009, before retiring in 2009. He has authored hundreds of articles and several books on Dutch fine and decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the modern era. His scholarly interests expanded to Chinese material culture, culminating in the 2013 publication of Dragon & Horse: Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond, a pioneering study on Chinese equestrian gear. Continuing this line of inquiry, his more recent book published in 2021, Small China: Early Chinese Miniatures, explores the largely overlooked world of Chinese miniature objects, combining archaeological research with art historical insight.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear, little flaking, minuscule chips to exposed areas, a tiny hole along the seam, and firing irregularities including a glaze wart.

Weight: 57 g
Dimensions: Height 7.2 cm

In traditional Chinese culture, mandarin ducks are believed to be lifelong couples, unlike other species of ducks. Hence, they are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity and are frequently featured in Chinese art.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sancai glazed miniature pilgrim’s flask, dated to775-825, 4.4 cm high, in the University of Michigan Museum of Art, accession number 1987/1.287. Compare a closely related sancai glazed miniature pilgrim’s bottle, dated to the Tang dynasty, 4.4 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 30.76.54.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 December 2024, lot 5702
Price: HKD 156,000 or approx. EUR 17,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small sancai-glazed 'floral' jar, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related glazes. Note the round form and size (9 cm).