Dear Peter and Stan,
My father in law have this rice bowl set (9 pcs). Are they fake or not?
And how much the value? Please let me know
Thank you so much
Regards,
S
Judging by the decoration this would likely be 1940s or thereabouts, in my view.
Thank you, Peter :)
Is it realy hand painting?
How about the value?
Thanks.
It's not a rice bowl set. It's definitely a tea making set. Although... I'm not sure it's that old, simply because I'm not sure when Chinese people started drinking tea in the gong-fu style. I believe with yixing (clay) pots, it started earlier in the 19th century in the Fujian/Guangdong, but as to using a gaiwan to to make tea, that concept may be more recent/modern. Since gaiwans were traditionally used to simply drink out of.
There's definitely a market amongst tea connoisseurs for older pieces...
I doubt that lidded tea bowls are later than Gongfu tea ones. The latter is a regional custom centered on Fujian and Taiwan. How far it is used elsewhere I do not know how far neighbouring provinces use this.
The lidded bowl seems to have been used in tea houses for a very long time, at least since the Qing dynasty, judging by some of the bowls I have seen. In Taiwan it is still used in many places where Cantonese food is served. Gongfu tea is more often used in private or small circles of friends, etc.
I know (lidded tea bowls) gaiwans were used since the Ming dynasty. My belief was that they were only used to drink from for a long time, and only relatively recently started being used for gongfu tea making.
I believe this has to be a set for gongfu tea making. Otherwise, why is there a matching bowl for emptying out the water, and matching small tea cups.
Gongfu teamaking style was definitely a SE China thing, centered around Fujian/Guangdong (Chaozhou area). Only in more recent years has that style of tea making spread to the rest of China.
Please consider that this could be items from different sets. These decoration seems to have been very common. There is one lidded bowl w/saucer. Four smaller bowls or cups with only a dragon as decoration, and a larger bowl with lid which looks as if it could be for placing the cups upon. It would be of advantage to see a side view and detail view of such a cup.