Blue-and-White Mortar Set, 19th Century or Earlier



Up for auction is a very beautiful blue-and-white mortar in the shape of a short jardiniere and its functioning pestle. The elegantly shaped mortar is freely painted with two dragons chasing each other among cloud motif. The decoration is framed on the top with a band of continuous waves and at the bottom with a band of lotus leaves. The underglaze blue pigment is of dark blue color with blurred images at some spots. Except for the top rim, the interior is unglazed which is very smooth from years grinding by pestles. The concave base is unglazed showing the white porcelain body burned dark brown. A pestle with a two character inscription is collected with this mortar. The pestle has an unglazed grinding base with very smooth porcelain body from years of grinding. The mortar and the pestle were acquired as a set but they do not appear to be originally matched. We are selling them as a set. Except for some glaze chips and flaking at the mouth rim as well as some adhered organic material which can be easily cleaned, the mortar is in excellent condition. The pestle is in excellent condition. Based on the decorative style and quality of cobalt blue, we date this blue-and-white mortar set to be from 19th Century or earlier.
Size: Mortar: rim diameter: 26.1cm, Height: 12.7cm; Pestle: length: 14.4cm

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