Skip to main content
Curiosa
Sign InTry a scan

Blue and White Porcelain Phoenix Ewer

Blue and white porcelain ewer with phoenix decoration, pear-shaped with spout and handle, unglazed buff footrim. - view 1
1/2

Estimated value

$150 - $450

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Era

20th century in the style of the 14th century

Origin

🇨🇳 China

Authenticity

Uncertain(35%)
8

BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN PHOENIX EWER: IDENTIFICATION

A pear-shaped ceramic ewer featuring underglaze blue decoration of a phoenix (fenghuang) amidst scrolling lotus and peony motifs. The vessel displays a curved spout with flame-like cobalt accents, a looped handle with a small porcelain eyelet for a tether, and a domed lid with a globular finial. The footrim is unglazed, revealing a dense, buff-colored stoneware or proto-porcelain paste with visible iron spotting and kiln grit.

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.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

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 staining on the base lacks the natural depth of 600-year-old burial patina
  • The 'heaping and piled' cobalt effect appears painted on rather than resulting from the high-iron manganese minerals used in the 14th century
  • The glaze luster is unusually bright for a piece claiming Yuan/early Ming antiquity

Expert review recommended. Consider consulting a specialist before making purchasing decisions.

How does authenticity detection work?

CERAMICIST'S ASSESSMENT

Ceramics Historian & Kiln Specialist

Ceramics Expert

Identification of the style is certain, but the dating relies on visual indicators of aging that appear inconsistent with genuine Yuan Dynasty production, leading to a moderate-high risk score.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Pear-shaped 'Yuhuchun' silhouette consistent with 14th-century prototypes
  • 2Unglazed footrim reveals a buff stoneware-like body rather than pure white kaolin porcelain
  • 3Presence of 'eyelets' on handle and lid for tethering
  • 4Underglaze blue motifs are stylistically correct for the period but executed with modern precision

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •The 'distressed' appearance of the base appears to be a surface wash rather than genuine age-related accumulation
  • •The spout angle and handle proportion are slightly more rigid than genuine 14th-century examples
  • •Uniformity of the glaze thickness suggests modern kiln control

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Close-up photo of the spout tip and handle joins under 10x magnification
  • →UV light scan to check for overpainting or restoration on the lid and spout
  • →Rub-test on the base staining to see if it is soluble

CONDITION & GRADE

Good

Grading breakdown

Assessment based on structural integrity and absence of major cracks, though surface grit and 'kiln dirt' on the base are noted as production-related artifacts.

Condition

Significant kiln grit and iron spotting visible on the unglazed base. The lid shows a minor glaze flake at the rim, and there is a noticeable brown oxidation line where the handle joins the body, indicating possible firing stress or later repair.

CERAMICS MARKET VALUE

$150 - $450

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Collectors of Chinese 'reproduction' wares or interior designers seeking traditional Asian aesthetics for decor.

What increases value

  • •Completeness of the lid and tether eyelets
  • •Vibrancy of the cobalt blue decoration
  • •Large, decorative phoenix motif

What lowers value

  • •Confirmation as a 20th-century decorative copy rather than an antique
  • •Visible glaze flaking on the lid rim
  • •Poorly executed 'aged' base that deters serious antique collectors

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Genuine 14th-century provenance (museum value)
  • •Natural 'iron spots' from mineral impurities in original Su-ma-li cobalt
  • •Naturally worn, velvet-textured footrim

Grade & condition

Integrity of the lid, clarity of the blue painting, and lack of hairline cracks in the spout.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar ceramics objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

GF

gffffkjh
Wonderseeker•1 item

COMMENTS

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Sign in to leave a comment

ABOUT CERAMICS & POTTERY

Pottery, porcelain, stoneware, earthenware, and kiln-fired objects.

Ceramics & Pottery value and rarity guide

SHARE THIS CURIOSITY

Have your own curiosities to discover?

Scan Your Curiosity