A Pair of Qing Dynasty Canton Vases as Lamp Bases

A pair of nineteenth century Canton vases now mounted as lamps.

Chinese Canton porcelain was manufactured and fired in the kilns of Ching-Te Chen. From there, works were taken to the port at Canton, where finishing touches were applied by local artists and goods were shipped to Europe and America. The large central panel, usually depicting interior or exterior scenes, is one of the trademarks of Canton porcelain as opposed to other Chinese Export porcelain of the same time.

This pair is lively in subject matter and more muted as well as understated in colour than other examples of Canton porcelain, which makes them particularly interesting to contemporary European tastes. Each lamp is adorned with two small false gilt handles in the shape of fu lions.