Zisha Purple‑Clay Fortune‑Attracting Buffalo‑Form Teapot, Qing Dynasty, 18th‑19th Century Chinese Figural Zisha Clay Teapot

拍品描述

Dimensions: 11 cm (4.33 inches) in length, 6.5 cm (2.56 inches) in height. An 18th-19th century Qing Dynasty Zisha (purple clay) teapot in the shape of a water buffalo, decorated with coin patterns. Condition and Provenance: This teapot is made of high-quality Zisha clay, with a fine texture and a rustic feel. The body is sculpted into the shape of a water buffalo, with the protruding head serving as the spout. The horns, ears, and facial hair are meticulously depicted. The body is decorated with twisted rope patterns and layered ancient coin motifs, symbolizing wealth and good fortune. The lid follows the natural contours of the buffalo's body, topped with a coin-shaped knob. The handle is finely carved with leaf-shaped twisted rope patterns. A clear square seal with ancient seal script characters is stamped on the bottom. The teapot comes with its original lid, spout, and handle. There are no cracks, defects, repairs, or signs of later alterations. The surface of the teapot is covered with a soft, natural patina, untouched by acid washing or artificial decoration. This figure-shaped Zisha teapot was originally provided by an antiques gallery in Vancouver and acquired in 2026 by a private collector in Pennsylvania specializing in Zisha teapots and literati artifacts. New York, Pennsylvania, and Vancouver are important international trading centers for Chinese antiques and curios. Description: This complete Qing Dynasty water buffalo-shaped Zisha teapot is auspicious and an outstanding example of Chinese floral-shaped Zisha craftsmanship. Figure-shaped Zisha teapots were popular during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with artisans skillfully blending animal and plant motifs with practical teaware designs. The water buffalo symbolizes diligence and wealth, and the coin relief carving signifies attracting wealth and good fortune; therefore, this teaware is highly revered in traditional Chinese folk culture and considered an auspicious object. The entire teaware is centered around a robust water buffalo: the spout resembles a raised buffalo nose, the horns are thick and curved, and the eyes and mane are finely depicted. The rounded body of the teapot is wrapped with carved ropes, on which are embossed strings of ancient coins with clearly legible characters. The specially designed lid echoes the curved contours of the buffalo, adorned with a coin-shaped button at the top, complementing the rope-pattern decoration on the body. The handle features a twisted rope pattern, visually harmonizing with the rope decoration on the body. The bottom is engraved with a square seal common in Qing Dynasty Yixing teapots. The Yixing clay is fine-grained, rich in sand particles, and exquisitely fired. As a floral-shaped Yixing teapot, it combines decorative artistry with practical tea-brewing functionality. The lid fits perfectly, and the spout's internal design facilitates pouring. It is both a practical brewing vessel and a beautiful tabletop ornament. Having withstood the test of centuries, the teapot possesses a soft, antique luster, and all carved details remain intact, showing no signs of damage or repair. Well-preserved Qing Dynasty figure-shaped Yixing teapots are quite rare on the market today. This Zisha teapot combines exquisite carving techniques, auspicious themes, and its unrestored original state, fully demonstrating the remarkable shaping abilities of ancient Zisha craftsmen. It is highly favored by overseas Zisha teapot and antique collectors and has extremely high artistic appreciation value and long-term collection potential.

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