SANCAI CHICKEN-HEAD EWER

唐三彩龍柄雞頭壺

Tang dynasty 7-10th century AD

31cm high

Description: This ewer is of typical Tang dynasty design with Sancai glaze. The elongated neck is set on the shoulder of the bulbous body. The handle has on one side a dragon head biting the flaring rim, while the other side ends on the shoulder. There is a chicken head and neck spout opposite to the handle and either side of shoulder has one lug with a circular “button”. The whole body is covered by spreading green, cream and brown glazes, with only the base exposing the clay body. Four groups of shallowly incised lines are placed on the neck, around the shoulder, belly and bottom of the body.

Provenance: A German collection

Reference: For a similar jar of this type, see History of Chinese Pottery and Porcelain, Zhemin Ye, 2013, P118