Chinese Celadon Dragon Headrest

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or pure...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during slumber. This example dates to the mid-20th century and is glazed in the blue-and-white style with dark, cobalt-blue color. Each side of the headrest has a quadrilobe cartouche framing two mythical fu lions playing with a brocade ball, a motif that evokes the idiom "may you and your descendant achieve high rank." A powerful and benevolent guardian, the fu lion (shizi) is the perfect force to protect against nightmares and bad energy. The playful scene is surrounded by a cracked ice pattern dotted with plum blossoms, symbols of winter and longevity. A geometric meander trims the corners and small bats frame coin...

This square ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to prote...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protec...

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or purely decorative, such headrests were crafted from a variety of materials and were often decorated with elaborate patterns or symbolic motifs. This porcelain headrest...

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman once used this ceramic headrest as a pillow. The headrest is shaped as a crouching house cat, w...

A Chinese unglazed ceramic headrest with lovely patina and naieve carvings on both sides. ONe geometrical and one of a fantasy beast (griffion?). These headrests are found in difform...

A pair Chinese porcelain celadon lidded urns feature dragon design, 20th century. Measures - 8.25" height x 4.5"diameter.  

A near pair of Chinese export porcelain figures of the Taoist immortal Li Tieguai, Qing Dynasty, late 18th century, China. The Daoist Immortal Li Tieguai, on of the Eight Immortals...

A wonderful pair of Chinese export turquoise glazed porcelain models of hawks, Qing Dynasty, late 19th century, China. The fierce birds of prey are well modeled and portrayed perch...

The cylindrical body molded with overlapping waves and applied with leaping carp; the underside bearing a molded apocryphal Daoguang seal mark.

Chinese celadon, porcelain pot decorated with a raised, tonal botanical and dragon design wrapping the entirety of its bulbous form and accented with foo...