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Lot Essay
The gourd has been used since earliest times in many cultures as natural containers. Growing in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, the dried shell of the fruit becomes a very light, wood-hard, impervious container which, if the mouth is kept narrow, can be easily stoppered and made air-tight.
Plain gourds were often shaped into this popular double-bulbed form, which in this particular instance, was constrained in growth between two flat boards to create flattened surfaces. The shape is an auspicious one, associated with Daoism and its concepts of longevity. Furthermore, the original ivory neck and stalk-like stopper transform a common and popular container into a delightful work of art, the creamy ivory tone complementing the richly textured gourd material.
Plain gourds were often shaped into this popular double-bulbed form, which in this particular instance, was constrained in growth between two flat boards to create flattened surfaces. The shape is an auspicious one, associated with Daoism and its concepts of longevity. Furthermore, the original ivory neck and stalk-like stopper transform a common and popular container into a delightful work of art, the creamy ivory tone complementing the richly textured gourd material.