Octagonal Blue and White Pear-Shaped Vase (Yuhuchunping)
Estimated value
$150 - $450Rarity
Average(4/10)Category
Ceramics & PotteryEra
Mid-to-late 20th CenturyOrigin
🇨🇳 ChinaAuthenticity
OCTAGONAL BLUE AND WHITE PEAR-SHAPED VASE (YUHUCHUNPING): IDENTIFICATION
An octagonal blue and white porcelain vase featuring a pear-shaped body (Yuhuchunping) decorated with underglaze cobalt blue. The central register depicts a large, toothy fish (likely a perch or mandarin fish) surrounded by aquatic plants and floating flora. The neck is divided into panels with upright plantain leaves and cloud motifs, while the base features a classic lotus petal lappet border. The vessel is constructed with eight distinct facets, a technical departure from the standard wheel-thrown circular form.
Compare with other ceramic pieces in the archive: Alabaster Urn-Shaped Vase, Han Dynasty Style Glazed Ceramic Boar Figurine, Chinese Blue and White 'Three Friends of Winter' Stem Cup, Ming Style.
CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS
Where This Object Echoes
The octagonal faceting of the body parallels 12th-13th century Persian bronze and brass vessels.
Ritual & Ceremonial Use
- •Originally a vessel for wine, the Yuhuchunping was used in both domestic banquets and ritual offerings during the Song and Yuan dynasties.
Meaning Through Time
Symbol of maritime trade and the infusion of foreign aesthetic tastes into Chinese ceramics.
A decorative object representing classical Chinese heritage, frequently reproduced for the global export market.
SCARCITY
Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.
Rarity 4/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 101 ceramics items at rarity 4 or higher.
Typical Characteristics
- Standard antique shop items
- Regularly available
- Moderate collector interest
Confidence Factors
- Artificial oxidation/staining on the unglazed footrim intended to mimic 14th-century 'iron red' discharge.
- The cobalt blue 'heaping and piling' effect appears mechanically produced rather than a natural result of historical mineral cobalt behavior.
- The precise geometry of the facets lacks the subtle irregularities typically seen in early handmade slab-formed ceramics.
Expert review recommended. Consider consulting a specialist before making purchasing decisions.
CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT
Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist
Identification of form and motif is certain; the 20th-century attribution is based on several diagnostic visual markers of artificial aging and contemporary cobalt application techniques common in Jingdezhen workshops.
KEY EVIDENCE
- 1Presence of 'heap and pile' cobalt marks that do not align with the brush strokes.
- 2Footrim geometry shows a wide, flat profile inconsistent with the knife-cut footrims of authentic Yuan examples.
- 3Body paste appears extremely white and refined, typical of modern industrial preparation rather than 14th-century hand-processed clay.
- 4Central motif depicts a Mandarin fish with an exaggerated toothy grin, a common caricature in 20th-century reproductions.
UNCERTAINTIES
- •The orange-red staining on the footrim is too uniform and lacks the depth of genuine age-related oxidation.
- •Lack of 'orange peel' texture in the glaze which is common in genuine early Ming/Yuan wares.
WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY
- →Conduct a UV light test to check for modern glues or fills in the neck and rim.
- →Examine the interior of the neck for throwing rings or slab seams which reveal the manufacturing method.
- →Compare the vessel's specific weight density to documented 14th-century Yuhuchunping specimens.
CONDITION & GRADE
Grading breakdown
The rating is based on the lack of major chips or hairline fractures; however, the artificial aging of the footrim reduces its status among serious collectors of early porcelain.
Condition
The unglazed footrim shows artificial staining (orange-brown 'iron red') likely applied to simulate age. Visible kiln grit and minor surface pitting are present on the body, though the overall structural integrity of the facets remains intact.
Weight & feel
Estimated at 800–1,100 grams; the vessel likely feels dense due to the thick-walled construction required for faceted slab-formed porcelain.
CERAMICS MARKET VALUE
Updated: May 11, 2026
Who buys this
General decorators and novice collectors of Asian art looking for the 'Yuan Look' without the six-figure price tag of an original.
What increases value
- •Integrity of the octagonal facets
- •Visual clarity of the fish motif
- •Absence of rim repairs or neck breaks
What lowers value
- •Market saturation of similar 20th-century Jingdezhen reproductions
- •Detection of professional repairs under UV light
What makes top-tier examples
- •Genuine 'orange peel' glaze texture
- •Naturally occurring iron spots from unrefined mineral cobalt
- •Documented provenance from a pre-1970s collection
Grade & condition
Determined by glaze clarity, absence of 'kiln crawl', and the sharpness of the cobalt decoration.
Rarity & demand
For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.
SIMILAR CURIOSITIES
Chinese Export Porcelain 'Hong' Punch Bowl
Chinese Blue and White 'Dragon' Dish
Arne Ã…se contemporary porcelain lidded vessel
Chinese Blue and White 'Dragon' Meiping Vase, Qianlong Mark
Blue and White Porcelain Bitong (Brush Pot)
Chinese Blue and White and Iron-Red Scalloped Saucer, Kangxi Period (1662-1722)
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