SOUTHERN SONG/YUAN DYNASTY (12TH-13TH CENTURY)

In ancient China the idea of a full granary carried with it the associations of prosperity and security. It is not surprising to find that from early times dating back even to the Han dynasty (206 BC - AD 220), ceramic models of granaries were made to accompany the deceased into the afterworld.

Highly sought after by major collectors of Chinese works of art, compare the slightly smaller qingbai granary from the Collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, sold at Christie's New York, 20 March 2015, lot 839. Another slightly larger example from the Falk Collection sold at Christie's New York, 16 October 2001, lot 102.