Untitled Vessel #20, USA

An early 20th century Chinese Republic period carved hardstone drinking vessel, called a rhyton, in the form of a mythical pixiu. The archaistic vessel carved in the Han Dynasty style from a single block of lavender gray nephrite and featuring a large horn-shaped cup being supported by a mythical pixiu. The pixiu carved with a nice sense of motion, head reared back, mouth open, and claws bared. The cup bearing a design of large horned taotie ogre masks on either side. The stone with areas of artificial "calcified" patination.  The pixiu is an ancient beast from...

Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's Tripod Ceremonial Vessel #10 is raku-fired, hand built and hand sculptured. The tripod is uniquely with bronze acrylic, iron-rust interactive acrylic, airbrushed enamels (red, green and yellow) all layered on top of each other. Signed by the artist, each piece is comprised of a marriage of four elements -- a vessel held aloft by three legs. The process of fluid transition between the elements so that the product reads as one form was vital as he built the foundation for his signature collection. The Tripod Vessels...