F045 Early 19th Century, Chinese Lamp With A Lime Green Colour - Circa 1820

“When you're 25 or 30, you know you can’t wear lime-green eye shadow anymore.”  Taylor Swift

An early 19th century, Chinese, baluster form antique lamp.  The lamp with a rare, lime green ground colour and decorated underglaze with an incised, (sgraffito), fern-like decoration.  The collar of the lamp with a wide band of Ruyi sceptre decoration, enamelled with a pink cell ground.

The lime ground decorated with a branch of three large, shaded, bright pink, flowering Peonies.  The flowers with a backdrop of flowering bamboo and small chrysanthemum like flowers.  The flowers with a Phoenix-like bird hovering above.   Chinese decorative art is highly symbolic and the Peonies are known as “The Queen of Flowers”, symbolising summer, love and affection.

The Peony flowers also indicates a hope for great advancement and are a synonym for nobility and gracefulness.  Bamboo, as an evergreen, symbolises a wish for longevity and represents courage in adversity.  The decoration includes a butterfly in yellow enamel and interprets as a symbol for hope, desire, freedom, love and longevity.

In the language of Chinese decorative symbolism, the vase shape itself signifies peace and safety. The lime green ground as shown by this lamp is a rarity and is very infrequently found.

The lamp seated in a gold plated bronze band, set into an antique Chinese stand, the apron of the stand carved with the Chinese “endless knot”.  The lamp shown with a pleated, fern green, silk shade suggestion.

Lime green.
Lime-green, known as 'qiu kui' by Chinese porcelain scholars and is one of the more rare enamel colours.  The technique required lead-antimony with copper to produce this lime green glaze.  In many ways it represents the technical and innovative drive of the 18th century Jingdezhen kilns when this colour was first developed.

The incised sgraffito decoration seen beneath the glaze is a labour intensive technical feat. The decorator would have incised the design using a fine needle-point, requiring time and patience and the powers of concentration!

Daoguang Emperor - Circa 1820

Overall height (including shade) 23.5"/60 cm approx

Lamps shipped to the US and UK are wired to US and UK specifications

Lamp shades can be ordered if required.