Chinese Carved Cinnabar Pot with Two Dragons

Chinese Jun Yao Glazed Ceramic Water Pot. 5.5" H x 4.25" Diameter. Provenance: From the Upper East Side Apartment of a Former Ambassador.

Chinese Rose Medallion Porcelain Two-Handled Cache Pot, red Daoguong mark to underside, hand-painted with figural group scenes on scrolling floral gilt ground. 7.25" H x 8" W x 7.25"...

Chinese Carved Jade Brush Washer, decorated with flowers and bamboo. 2" H x 5.5" W x 3" W. Provenance: From the Upper East Side Apartment of a Former...

Chinese Carved Jade Covered Hu Vase, with two mask head with rings handles, incised taotie design to each side, and on a fitted carved wood stand. Overall: 7.5" H x 4.25" W x 2.25" D...

Chinese cinnabar lacquer hand mirror, with floral and rustic garden fences as decoration, all carved in deep relief. Topped by a round knob also with f...

This superbly large Chinese carved red cinnabar lacquer vase is highly decorative and a beautiful piece of Chinese art. The vase is highly c...

This intriguing Chinese zhadou is intricately carved of fine cinnabar lacquer. A work of exceptional artistry, this covered bowl is adorned with an intricately carved floral motif on all surfaces, including the cover and the wide rim. Also known as a cuspidor or spittoon, this rare container would have been used by members of the imperial family and scholar- officials at the court. Carved during the Kangxi period (1662-1722), this charming piece exhibits the high detail and charm associated with items from that period, making it a true treasure, Early 18th century (Kangxi dynasty) Measures: 6 ¼” wide x 3 ¼” high Cinnabar has been revered for its color all over the world. It has been found in the royal burial chambers of the Mayas, in the rituals of India, and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. In China, cinnabar and gold were the two most important elements in alchemy. Mined since the Neolithic Age, cinnabar is the ore of mercury, and as such, it can be incredibly toxic, especially when mining. In fact, during the Roman Empire, miners at Spain’s Almadén mine in Spain were frequently exposed to mercury fumes, and the subsequent, often fatal, sickness was considered an occupational hazard. The most popular known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquer-ware, a technique that is believed to have originated in the Song Dynasty, in which cinnabar is ground to a powder and added to clear lacquer. As with mining, there was inherent danger of mercury poisoning for those who carved the lacquer, as mercury was also released into the air when artisans ground the pigments. Most antique cinnabar...

A fine antique Chinese red cinnabar lacquer lidded round box carved with a scene with a young boy and a seated elderly bearded sage within a rocky landscape with trees. The "dragon's...