Lot 10 A rare Chinese blue and white ko-sometsuke 'Three-legged Toad' incense burner

A rare Chinese blue and white ko-sometsuke 'Three-legged Toad' incense burner

Ming, ca. 1620-1630

未知

€ 20.000 – € 40.000

WDH: H. 13,4 cm, W. 12,6 cm, D. 10,1 cm

未知

Finely modelled after Liu Hai’s mythical three-legged toad, this rare blue and white porcelain censer belongs to the celebrated group of wares known as ko-sometsuke, produced at the kilns of Jingdezhen specifically for the Japanese market between the 1620s and approximately 1645. The emergence of these wares coincided with the growing popularity of the Japanese tea ceremony, which created a demand for a wide variety of specialised utensils and stimulated the flourishing trade in Chinese porcelain destined for Japan.
The censer is formed as a crouching three-legged toad standing upon an oval base, its body carefully moulded with rounded ridges and naturalistic contours. The surface is richly painted in vibrant cobalt blue with floral motifs reserved in white against a densely seeded ground. The eyes and nostrils are pierced, while five apertures on the creature’s back, arranged to resemble the markings of a Chinese cash coin, allowed fragrant incense smoke to escape when the vessel was in use. The textured base evokes rocky terrain or flowing water, reinforcing the mythical nature of the subject.
Representations of Liu Hai’s three-legged toad are closely associated with prosperity, wealth, and good fortune in Chinese tradition, making this rare censer both an object of practical use and a powerful auspicious symbol.
此件罕見的青花香爐塑作劉海所伴三足金蟾之形，屬著名的日本 ‘古染付’ 瓷器。此類瓷器約於1620年代至1645年間由景德鎮窯專為日本市場燒造。隨著日本茶道日益盛行，各式專用茶具需求大增，亦促使輸日中國瓷器貿易蓬勃發展。
金蟾蹲伏於橢圓形底座之上，三足著地，身體以圓潤凸棱塑出自然起伏。通體以濃豔青花繪飾，珍珠地上留白花卉，裝飾繁密醒目。雙眼與鼻孔鏤空，背部另開五孔，依古錢紋樣排列，焚香時煙霧可由孔中緩緩逸出。底座表面塑作山石或流水狀，進一步烘托金蟾的神異色彩。
三足金蟾與 ‘劉海戲金蟾’ 的傳說密切相關，在中國傳統文化中象徵招財進寶、富貴吉祥。此器將實用功能、雕塑造型與吉祥寓意巧妙結合，是古染付動物形香爐中極為難得的佳例。
Reference:
A very similar example was sold with Bonham`s, London, 11th November 2002, lot 239. (sold GBP 17.000)
Provenance:
Robert McPherson Antiques, Cambridge, stock no. 23557.
Marc Michot, Bruges.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2007 and accompanied by a copy of their certificate of authenticity. (see added scan)