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Introducing the Collection
Antique Chinese Blue and White Ceramics: Artefact, Decorative Art and Investment
Blue and White porcelain has been a principle product of China’s ceramic industry since the middle of the 14th Century. It is a highly decorative ware which provided elegant service to its original owners and ultimately proved immensely popular amongst knowledgeable collectors around the world.
The technique of brush painting in cobalt blue under a transparent glaze has recorded a vast range of Chinese decorative styles throughout the centuries. Together with the tranquility of many shades of blue, elegant shapes and exquisite glazes, it is often used as the benchmark of the aesthetic achievement of the Chinese potters.
Appreciate the delicacy of a 16th Century stem cup decorated with peony scrolls. Be absorbed in the drama of the dragon entwined around a robust Guan jar from the Yuan Dynasty. Experience the spirit of the Emperor in a translucent bowl from the 18th Century, and feel privileged to view an extremely rare wine ewer from the early 16th Century -the unique form exquisitely detailed with chrysanthemum scrolls.
As artifact, early Blue and White allows the Antiquarian intriguing glimpses of Imperial China. As decorative art, a single strategically placed jar or grouping of miniatures creates a visual presence that is both dramatic, yet restrained. As investment, fine antique Chinese porcelain has been sought after for generations and recognized globally as a desirable investment by discerning and astute collectors.
“This exhibition consists of over thirty wares from Robert Maher’s private collection and showcases pieces from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), through the Ming (1368-1644) to the Ch’ing of the late 19th Century. Maher discovered the majority of his collection in China or South-East Asia and these items have never been exhibited in Australia before. It offers a rare opportunity for the investor and collector to purchase superlative examples of Chinese ceramic art.”
