Title
Teapot
Year/Period
Late 19th-early 20th centuries
Region
Yixing, Jiangsu province, China
Dimension
Object Size: 9.0 x 11.7 x 10.1 cm
Accession No.
C-1100
Collection of
This teapot is a typical example of the enamelled Yixing (宜兴) stoneware. It features ogival panels with auspicious animals amongst foliage. It also has three round feet and twisted brass handles. A two-character mark ‘Gong Ju’ (贡局) or ‘Tribute Office’ stamped on its base, suggests that these wares were made as tribute, a form of taxation-in-kind.Introduced during the mid-Ming dynasty as teawares for the literati, teapots such as this were admired for their heat-absorbing properties, which kept the tea warm and improved the strong aroma and taste of Chinese teas.
