A YIXING ‘BUDDHA HAND’ CADOGAN TEAPOT, CHINA, DATED 1929
Naturalistically modeled in the form of a finger citron with incised and impressed dots imitating the natural texture of the fruit. The fingers of the Buddha’s hand accumulate elegantly at the top of the pot. The gnarled and splitting branch handle has a sprig with two leaves sprouting forth and is stamped with a potter’s seal. The base is inscribed with the cyclical date, and the base of the handle with an partially illegible signature.


Inscriptions:
To the base, dated ‘From the 18th year of the Republic period’ (corresponding to 1929). To the base of the handle, ‘Made by […].’


Provenance:
This lot comes from an antique shop owner from the north of England. His store sells all kinds of antiques. He gets people coming in with unusual objects all the time, and has been collecting Chinese works of art that he particularly likes for a long time.

Condition:
Excellent condition with some old wear and firing flaws, both as expected.

Weight: 664.1 g
Dimensions: Length, 19.3 cm, Height 18.3 cm


The name ‘Cadogan’
was given to this curious group of usually peach-shaped vessels, which had no lids and were filled from the underside, by the Earl of Cadogan who in the early 19th century promoted their use as teapots, and persuaded the Rockingham factory in England to copy the form. See David S. Howard, The Choice of the Private Trader, London, 1994, no. 150 for a discussion on ‘Cadogan’ wine pots and for a blue and white example dating to c. 1640 from the Hatcher Cargo, and no. 156 for a famille verte example of the late Kangxi period. Howard suggests that vessels of this form may well have been purchased for display as curiosities rather than for use once they arrived in Europe.


The finger citron
is also known as 'Buddha's hand' because of the long tendrils that look like fingers. Although inedible, the fruit has a strong citrus fragrance which is often used for scenting rooms, and for offering at the Buddhist altar. Its auspicious symbolism derives from the play on the Chinese word for finger citron, foshou, homophonous with the words for blessings, fu, and longevity, shou.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related teapot in the form of Buddha’s-hand citron, described as “possibly glazed Yixing ware”, 8.3 cm high, dated to the 19th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 91.1.371. Compare a related ‘finger-citron’ teapot by the Republic period potter Fan Jinfu, in the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, illustrated in Yixing Pottery, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1981, pp. 150, pl. 90.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 November 2011, lot 279
Price: HKD 50,000 or approx.
EUR 8,100
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Yixing stoneware ‘finger-citron’ teapot and cover, Republic period, signed Fan Jinfu
Expert remark: Compare the related naturalistic handle in the form of a branch. Note the different style of spout. Note the size (19.2 cm long).




1929年宜興佛手卡多根茶壺

模仿佛手瓜的自然紋理，塑造茶壺，佛手的手指優雅地聚集在壺頂。多節且裂開的樹枝狀執柄上有一根小枝，上面長出兩片葉子，並刻有陶工的印章，不可辨認。


款識：
底足内“民國十八年”


來源：
狀況非常好，有輕微磨損和燒製不規則現象，包括釉面凹陷、窯砂和麻點。

品相：
狀況良好，有一些磨損和燒製缺陷。

重量：664.1 克
尺寸：長, 19.3 厘米, 高 18.3 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的十九世紀佛手壺，描述「可能為宜興窯」，高8.3厘米，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號91.1.371。比較一件相近的民國錦甫佛手壺，收藏於Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware，見《Yixing Pottery》，香港藝術博物館，1981年，頁150，圖90。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港邦翰斯，2011年11月28日，lot 279
價格：HKD 50,000（相當於今日
EUR 8,100
）
描述：民國段泥佛手壺
專家評論：比較相近的樹枝形狀茶壺。請注意不同的壺口。請注意尺寸(19.2厘米長)。