**Originally Listed At $300**
East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, 1368 to 1644 CE. Three mold-made terracotta miniatures, made to represent diverse types of typical household table items and be placed in a tomb. Elite Ming tombs, as had been the Chinese tradition for millennia, included recreations of domestic items to aid the deceased in the afterlife. A small bowl and dish is accompanied by a three-tiered plate of lychee nuts as well as a finely-detailed pig's head. Each of these items has been glazed using the sancai technique, though the majority of glaze on the bowl and pig's head has worn over time. Emperor Chu Yuan-Chang, founder of the Ming Dynasty, ordered ritual foods be prepared every day in his court to honor his ancestors, so eating specially-prepared meals had religious as well as practical purposes. Size of largest (lychee nuts): 3" H (7.6 cm).
Provenance: private east coast of Florida, USA collection; ex-old French collection, Paris, France, acquired 1977 to 1987
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#129883
Condition
All items have age-commensurate surface wear, fading and loss to sancai glaze. Each is intact. Light earthen and mineral deposits throughout.