Five-spouted jar

Five-spouted jar ^c^ Wheel-thrown vessel with short straight foot, pear-shaped body ending in mouth shaped like miniature hu; four more miniature “jars” (false spouts, with no opening into body) placed equidistantly around shoulder.
Clay: fine-grained stoneware, surface color ranging from muddy brown to medium gray, except light gray where formerly covered with glaze.
Glaze: traces of wood-ash glaze on shoulders of all jars.

Historical period(s)
Eastern Han dynasty, early 1st-early 3rd century
Medium
Stoneware with traces of ash glaze
Dimensions
H x W x D: 26.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 cm (10 7/16 x 7 3/4 x 7 3/4 in)
Geography
China, Zhejiang province
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1984.9
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Jar

Keywords
China, Eastern Han dynasty (25 - 220), stoneware
Provenance

To ?
J.E. Melchior collection, Shanghai. [1]

To 1982
Helen Dalling Ling (d. 1982), Shanghai and Singapore. [2]

From 1982 to 1984
Dr. Tien Gi Ling, Singapore, by bequest from his wife, Helen Dalling Ling in May 1982. [3]

From 1984
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Dr. Tien Gi Ling, Singapore. [4]

Notes:

[1] According to Dr. Tien Gi Ling, Mrs. Helen D. Ling acquired the object from the J.E. Melchior Collection in Shanghai. Also see Curatorial Remark 4 in the object record.

[2] Helen Dalling Ling operated "The Green Dragon" antiques shop in Shanghai from 1938 to 1950 and a shop under her own name in Singapore from 1951 until her death in 1982.

[3] Helen Dalling Ling left a bequest to her husband, Dr. Tien Gi Ling on May 1982.

[4] Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Mr. Tien Gi Ling
Helen D. Ling died 1982
J.E. Melchior Collection

Description

Five-spouted jar ^c^ Wheel-thrown vessel with short straight foot, pear-shaped body ending in mouth shaped like miniature hu; four more miniature "jars" (false spouts, with no opening into body) placed equidistantly around shoulder.
Clay: fine-grained stoneware, surface color ranging from muddy brown to medium gray, except light gray where formerly covered with glaze.
Glaze: traces of wood-ash glaze on shoulders of all jars.

Published References
  • Sarah Booth. The Freer's Rare Catch: Gallery Acquires 30 Flawless Ancient Chinese Ceramics. Washington, May 23, 1984. p. B2.
  • The Helen D. Ling Collection of Chinese Ceramics. Exh. cat. College Park, Maryland. .
  • The Freer's Rare Catch. Washington, 23 May 1984. .
  • H. W. Siegel, Helen D. Ling. Early Chinese Potteries and Porcelains of the Shang, Chou, Chin, Han Dynasties: Collection of the Late J.E. Melchior. Shanghai. cat. 4.82.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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