Rare Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Swatow Porcelain Incised Celadon Dish - Flying Horses

This large and rare porcelain dish, of the type known as "Swatow" ware, was made during the Wanli reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty at the Zhangzhou kilns in Fujian province where many such wares were made for export around South-east Asia...

A very rare large four scene Ming jar (1368 - 1644 AD) with three panels depicting the three friends and an additional panel of a small animal, the moon and a mountain scene. Size: H. 56cm. W. 38cm. Condition: No repairs. Some loss of the glaze around the rim. "For his residence, earth was piled to form a hill and a hundred plum trees, which along with lofty pines and tall bamboo comprise the friends of winter, were planted."

Rare Large Chinese Neolithic Machang Phase Painted Pottery Jar

This unusually-shaped large pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago during the Machang Phase (c.2300 - 2000 BC) of the Majiayao culture, also known as the Gansu-Yangshao culture, from present day Gansu or Qinghai province. It is relatively highly-fired and made from a pale yellowish-brown pottery. It has a fairly wide flat base, wide body and tall cylindrical neck...

Rare Large Chinese Neolithic Pottery Jar - Caiyuan Culture

This fine and attractively-shaped pottery jar was made over 4,000 years ago by peoples of the Caiyuan Culture (c. 2600 - 2200 BC) and has been excavated from the Ningxia Autonomous Region in the north of China. It is finely-potted with a wide body that tapers down to a relatively small base and one handle from the shoulder to the flared mouth...

Rare Large Chinese Neolithic Xindian Culture Pottery Jar

This very rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age...

Fine & Very Rare Large Chinese Early Northern Wei Dynasty Glazed Pottery Armoured War Horse & Rider (with Oxford TL Test)

Surely among the rarest and most desirable of ancient Chinese pottery horses are the large glazed equestrians from Shanxi province dating to the early Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386 - 534). This is one such example...

Large rare Bronze statue of Quanyin (the Goddess of Mercy). She wears an ornate necklace and has a ball-like "Nyoi Jewel" in her right hand representing enlightenment . There is an image of Buddha beneath the veil on her head. In her left hand she is holding her ambrosia bottle (kalasa)representing "The Water of Compassion. She is sitting on a lotus base and at the back of the base is the stylized inscription of Xuande,1426 to 1435 AD. Size: H. 49cm. W. At the base 31cm. Condition: Nice Patina...

Rare Large Chinese Song Dynasty Stoneware Granary Jar & Cover (AD 960 -1279)

This rare and unusual stoneware jar, complete with its original elaborate cover, was made during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279). Both cover and jar have architectural elements; they represent a granary with a tiled roof...

Rare Large Chinese Song / Yuan Dynasty Qingbai Porcelain Bottle / Vase - Lotus Flowers

This porcelain vase was made during the 13th - 14th century, during the latter part of the Song Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368), or possibly the following Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). It is unusually large for its type and its moulded decoration is very interesting: between bands of geometric patterns, are four lotus flowers in various stages of blooming...

Rare Large Chinese Song / Yuan Dynasty Glazed Buddhist Zodiac Jar

This very rare pottery jar was made during the Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279), or possibly the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) and has been been excavated from a Buddhist site in Yunnan province.

It is made from a buff-coloured pottery that has been coated in a green glaze that is very thin in places.

Around the waist of the jar have been applied twelve mouldings, the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac...

Rare Large Chinese Southern Dynasties Stoneware Jar

This rare stoneware jar was made during the Southern Dynasties period (AD 420 - 589). Such wares from this period are relatively rare and quite distinctive. This jar has a flat base, a wide mouth and a series of "square-cut" loop handles placed around the shoulder: a pair of single handles opposite each other as well as a pair of double handles opposite each other...

Rare Large Chinese Tang Dynasty Bronze Bowl

This large bronze bowl was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is quite thin, made by the spinning technique as opposed to having been cast (see below for more information). It has a convex base. Around the inner surface there are several double bands of incised lines. There are also bands of lightly incised lines to the outer surface below the rim although this mostly obscured by the corrosion...

Rare Large Chinese Tang Dynasty Pottery Ox / Bull (AD 618 - 906)

This rare and unusual pottery model of an ox, or bull, was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a pale pinkish-coloured pottery that is quite highly-fired, having an almost "metallic" ring to it when tapped...

Rare Large Chinese Western Han Dynasty Bronze Cauldron / Jar

This domestic bronze cooking vessel was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly earlier. The bottom half is semi-spherical, designed to sit in a fire; indeed there are still remains of carbon deposits to the base. It has two handles on opposing sides at the shoulder. Across the base and up the sides is the mould casting line. There is malachite (green) corrosion particularly to the inner surface, with a few ...

A very rare large white Chinese vase. Very difficult to find an original white vase like this. The production of white glazed wares was not very large, yet their quality was generally rather high.This one has a symbol of a human figure painted inside most likely done by the those who owned the vase. Size: H. 84cm. W. 45cm. Condition: Perfect.

Very Rare Large Chinese Yuan Dynasty Blue & White Granary Jar & Cover (with Oxford TL Test)

This extremely rare jar, complete with original cover, was made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Although we have seen several jars of a generally similar form (usually attributed to the earlier Song Dynasty) we have never before seen a jar of this form with underglaze cobalt blue decoration. It is most likely a product of one of the kilns at Yuxi in Yunnan province, one of the earliest place...

Rare Large Chinese Yuan Dynasty Qingbai / Dehua Porcelain Box (Ex. Grahame Clarke Collection)

This impressive porcelain box was made during the Yuan Dynasty (1279 - 1368) or possibly a little earlier, toward the end of the preceding Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1279). It is made from a very translucent porcelain with fluted sides and an attractive moulded floral pattern on the cover featuring lotus blossoms. It is coated in a delicate translucent Qingbai glaze with just a hint of blue that is crac...

Rare Large Chinese Yuan Dynasty Underglazed Zodiac Jar

This large and extremely rare stoneware jar of very attractive form was made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368) or possibly the early part of the following Ming Dynasty, most likely at one of the kilns in Yuxi, Yunnan province. It is "heavily-potted" and has been decorated in an underglazed pattern of twelve panels each featuring one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. It is coated in a clear and finely-crackled pale green...