Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, side view with handle to the right.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark side view with handle to the left.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, side view with handle to the right and lid resting next to it.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark rotated side view with handle facing viewer.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial, lid of with view of pot and lid from above.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, close up of lid.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, close up of lid interior.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, view of base (underside).
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark side view with handle to the right that shows the beauty of the clay surface.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot from above by a ruler for scale.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with lid off and seen to the side, on a rotating platform.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, side view with handle to the right.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark side view with handle to the left.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, side view with handle to the right and lid resting next to it.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark rotated side view with handle facing viewer.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial, lid of with view of pot and lid from above.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, close up of lid.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, close up of lid interior.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark, view of base (underside).
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with Fish Finial & Mark side view with handle to the right that shows the beauty of the clay surface.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot from above by a ruler for scale.
Late Qing Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot with lid off and seen to the side, on a rotating platform.
Chaozhou Artisan

Late Qing Chaozhou Gongfu Tea Vessel - China (2 3/8 Inches)

$300.00
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Shipping calculated at checkout.

This antique Chaozhou teapot (c. 1860–1912) is crafted from local red clay and features a hand-sculpted fish-shaped finial symbolizing perseverance and good fortune. Adorned with delicate hand-inscribed poetry and marked with the character 罐 (guàn) on the base, it represents the historic gongfu tea tradition of eastern Guangdong.

Item Specifics

Date: c. 1860 to 1912
Period: late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China
Country of Origin:  China (Chaozhou)
Artist/Maker/Manufacturer: Chaozhou tea artisan
Attribution: Traditional regional craftsmanship
Marks/Signatures/Label: Impressed seal mark with the character 罐 (guàn)
Size Classification: Miniature
Dimensions: 2 3/8 inches tall
Weight: 2 1/2 oz
Materials: Local Chaozhou red clay
Technique: Hand-thrown and sculpted with hand-inscribed calligraphy
Features: Fish-shaped lid finial, inscribed poetry, traditional red clay body
Colors: Deep reddish-brown
Pattern: Solid with calligraphy
Style: Traditional Gongfu tea vessel
Theme/Symbolism: Fish (symbolizing perseverance and good fortune)
Condition: Excellent vintage/antique condition.

Provenance:

This teapot has been carefully preserved through four generations in a private family collection.

Historical Background

Originating from eastern Guangdong, the historical cradle of Chinese Gongfu tea culture, this miniature red clay vessel exemplifies the regional ceramic production that flourished during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic era (c. 1860–1912). As local kilns shifted away from Yixing styles to harness regional mineral-rich red clays, master artisans crafted thin-walled, highly breathable teapots specifically engineered to elevate the volatile floral aromatics of local Dancong oolongs. The integration of hand-inscribed poetry alongside the auspicious fish finial reflects deeply rooted literati traditions symbolizing abundance, resilience, and good fortune.

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