Nonyaware Spittoon
Large Nonyaware Porcelain Floor Spittoon
China for the Straits Chinese Market
late 19th century
height: 32.5cm, diameter: 21.3cm
This large spittoon is decorated in finely rendered polychrome with a famille rose lavender background. White panels enclose a phoenixes and other birds amid red peonies. The panels are separated by turquoise and yellow Indian lotus scrolls all framed within borders of stiff lappets and pendant ruyi-heads.
The interior is finished with a cream glaze.
A spittoon with similar Indian lotus scrolling is illustrated in The Southeast Asian Ceramics Society (1981, p.117.) Others are in Kee (2009, p. 227-228).
Such large spittoons were designed to stand on the floor.
The spittoon is without cracks or repairs. There is a small area of fritting to the glaze of an upper edge (see the photograph below). There are no makers or dynasty marks.
References
Kee, M.Y., Straits Chinese Porcelain, Kee Ming Yuet Sdn Bhd, 2004.
Kee, M.Y.,
Peranakan Chinese Porcelain: Vibrant Festive Ware of the Straits Chinese, Tuttle Publishing, 2009.
Liu, G.,
From the Family Album: Portraits from the Lee Brothers Studio, Singapore 1910-1925, National Heritage Board/Landmark Books, 1995.
The Southeast Asian Ceramics Society – West Malaysia Chapter,
Nonya Ware and Kitchen Ch’ing, Oxford University Press, 1981.
Provenance
UK art market
Inventory no.: 3544
SOLD
This image shows the small loss to the enamel to the lower edge of the rim. This is the only such loss.
Source: Liu, G., From the Family Album: Portraits from the Lee Brothers Studio, Singapore 1910-1925, National Heritage Board/Landmark Books, 1995.