an antique chinese export blue and white porcelain brush pot( bitong) with an historical metal staple repair.
late qing dynasty 1880-1910
155mm high x 75mm diameter.
a captivating and highly collectible late 19th century chinese export porcelain brush pot ( bitong ) traditionally used on a scholars desk to hold calligraphy brushes.
hand thrown on a traditional kick wheel, demonstrated by the chatter marks on the interior. the unglazed footrim characteristic of late qing provincial minyao (people's) kilns.
the pot is decorated in underglaze cobalt blue using the traditional shuaimo technique. it features a beautifully styalised swallow or swift darting amidst rich foliage and floral blooms, apoetic chinese symbol of spring, fidelity and impending good fortune.
the base bears a fascinating underglaze blue novelty mark, a playful, hand painted interpretation of the famous german meissen " crossed swords ". intended to elevate the objects prestige for the western export market, the local chinese artisan famously misinterpreted the design, painting the crossed swords with triangular pennants or hankerchiefs at the tips.
the pot has a very old and at the time costly metal staple repair. the repair gives the brush pot an even more charming appeal, the pot has its own personality, the repair gives us an insight into its history and the importance and value the owner held for it, the beauty is found because of the break and the subsequent repair, not in spite of it. The "scars and stitches" are a testament to the object's history and resilience.
the use of staples to repair broken ceramics originated in china and was later adopted in England in the 18th century for the repair of important and valuable pottery, becoming widely used in the 19th century, the process dying out with the introduction of suitable adhesives.
