Hat stand?

Pablo82 · Mar 12, 2019, 06:25:18

Hallo Peter and members,

Please your expert opinion on this item (hat stand?). H cm 25

Thank you very much in advance.

Pablo82 · Mar 12, 2019, 06:26:05

More

peterp · Mar 12, 2019, 08:15:19

Hat stands have always a straight top rim, and many had openings in the side, which had a specific purpose. Anyway, this is too "young" for that. Hat stands were only used in the late Qing dynasty.

Pablo82 · Mar 12, 2019, 10:46:30

Thank you Peter. So it is a vase. Could it be early republic?

peterp · Mar 12, 2019, 11:07:01

That is possible. It doesn't have any characters/marks on the side?
The black decoration on yellow ground resembles a decoration existing in the Guangxu reign. That one would be imperial ware as those items were made specifically for empress dowager Cixi, but usually there are two or three specific marks present. Most with or without thos marks are likely copies of the decoration made some time after that reign.

Pablo82 · Mar 12, 2019, 11:26:39

Thank you Peter! No, I don't see any mark on it.

Hmm · Mar 13, 2019, 01:26:20

@peterp

In China were hatstand vases actually used to put hats on them, thus their name? If so, were they not generally exported?

Thanks.

peterp · Mar 13, 2019, 07:15:20

As far as I know they started to be used only sometime in the early or mid-19th century. I guess it was for placing the those typical Chinese skull caps. Those without holes may have been exported as vases.
Some think that those without holes were used as incense stick holders, but I have doubts. Usually those did not have such a diameter.