Chinese Blue and White Fu Lion Headrest

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during slumber. This example dates to the late 20th century and is glazed in the blue-and-white style with a stencil-transfer design. Each side of the headrest has a quadrilobe cartouche framing two mythical fu lions playing with a brocade ball, a motif that evokes the idiom "may you and your descendant achieve high rank." A powerful and benevolent guardian, the fu lion (shizi) is the perfect force to protect against nightmares and bad energy. The playful scene is surrounded by a cracked ice pattern dotted with plum blossoms, symbols of winter and longevity. A geometric meander trims the corners and small bats frame coin...

A parade of Qilin, Chinese mythical creatures symbolizing magnificence, joy and benevolence, march around this hand painted porcelain fantail vase. It is a wonderful example of conte...

Very sweet smaller scale vibrant blue and white garden seat / side table. Perfect next to a chair for your cocktail.

Numerous similar octagonal blue and white boxes with Wanli, Jiajing marks are housed in prestigious museum collections. An example in the Tokyo National Museum is featured in Illustr...