Hudson - Antiquities

From the estate of Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed. This lovely very early carved granite monkey comes from early feudal Japan, Momoyama Period to early Edo period, 16th-17th century. Most likely carved as an exterior ornament...

This large vase of a bulbous ringed bowl beneath a beaker neck surmounted with molded rim is typically called a HU and rest well on a nice old rosewood stand. Pottery in appreciable amounts is first found during the Han dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) and comes mostly from excavated grave sites. There seems to have been an explosion of technical advances and in central or industrialized dynastic attempts to produce large quantities of material for use in burial sites during this time in China's culture history. One of the most common forms found is the Hu. Made to resemble more ancient Bronze vessel reserved only for the very rich, pottery became more practical and less costly. Northern China saw the invention of a low fired lead glaze tinted bottle green with copper oxides used almost exclusively for funereal purposes due to the large lead content. After extended tomb burial in the ground this glaze degrades to a silvery iridescence adding to an objects visual appeal. This vase shows a very dramatic iridescent coating indicating burial as well as the hallmarks of hand production and fire burning kiln manufacture. This vase is from the Bergreen family collection. The family is well-known for its artistic and philanthropic interests as well as the many major works covering many styles and periods collected over a long period of time. This collection contained many large and fine examples of Han pottery...