Lot 78
78
TANG AND LIAO WARES
A RARE GLAZED BUFF POTTERY HANDWARMER

Details
A RARE GLAZED BUFF POTTERY HANDWARMER
TANG DYNASTY

The hollow, domed body cut with one circular and two crescent-shaped apertures suggesting different phases of the moon and separated by three groupings of three rectangular slits joined above and below by fine incised lines, all below a central aperture, covered on the exterior with a clear glaze of buff color suffused with a fine network of crackle ending above the flat foot to expose the fine-grained ware
4¼in. (10.8cm.) high, box

Lot Essay

Handwarmers of this type are quite rare. One pierced with groupings of vertical slits separated by rosettes was included in the exhibition, Chinese Treasures from the Avery Brundage Collection, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1968, no. 63, along with a similarly glazed figure of a woman carrying a similar large handwarmer, from the same collection, thereby dating these handwarmers to the 7th-8th century. For a plainer example pierced only with slits and excavated in 1973, see The Museum of Chinese History, ed., An Illustrated Reference of Ancient Chinese History, Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties Periods, Shanghai, 1990, p. 9 (bottom)