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Lot Essay
This very rare vessel is very similar to one formerly in the Kitson collection and now in the British Museum illustrated by Sir Harry Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamel, London, 1962, pl. 16, and dated to the first half 15th century. It is illustrated again by J. Rawson, Chinese Art, London, 1992, pl. 140.
In his discussion of this kundika, ibid., p. 57, Garner compares it to the earlier bronze and ceramic kundikas made during the Tang dynasty, such as the stoneware example illustrated by W. Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, New York, 1984, p. 160, pl. 141, and goes on to note that they were in "in regular use in Lamaist ritual in the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties". He also suggests that most pieces of 15th century cloisonné, which were decorated with lotus scroll, were made in shapes suitable for ceremonial use in Buddhist temples.
The British Museum vessel is also illustrated by W. Zwalf, (ed.) in Buddhism: Art and Faith, British Museum, 1985, p. 208, no. 301, where the author also relates this type of vessel to the larger kundikas and notes that they are known in Tibet as a spyi-blugs, where they were used by monks to wash their mouths after meals.
In his discussion of this kundika, ibid., p. 57, Garner compares it to the earlier bronze and ceramic kundikas made during the Tang dynasty, such as the stoneware example illustrated by W. Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, New York, 1984, p. 160, pl. 141, and goes on to note that they were in "in regular use in Lamaist ritual in the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties". He also suggests that most pieces of 15th century cloisonné, which were decorated with lotus scroll, were made in shapes suitable for ceremonial use in Buddhist temples.
The British Museum vessel is also illustrated by W. Zwalf, (ed.) in Buddhism: Art and Faith, British Museum, 1985, p. 208, no. 301, where the author also relates this type of vessel to the larger kundikas and notes that they are known in Tibet as a spyi-blugs, where they were used by monks to wash their mouths after meals.