French-Mounted Chinese Blue & White Porcelain “Dragon” Inkwell

Description:

An “assembled” inkstand comprising a Chinese porcelain vessel mounted in French gilt bronze (ormolu).

The Porcelain: The body is a domed, globular Chinese porcelain vessel (likely a scholar’s water pot) decorated in underglaze cobalt blue. The motif features two fierce, five-clawed dragons writhing amidst stylized clouds and crashing waves. They are depicted pursuing the “Flaming Pearl” of wisdom. The blue glaze shows vibrant depth, mimicking the “heaped and piled” style of the classical periods. The white ground shows distinct crazing consistent with age.

The Mounts: The porcelain is set into a heavy, cast gilt bronze base in the Louis XVI Revival style, featuring a gadrooned (fluted) rim and raised on three ornate floral-scroll feet. The rim of the porcelain is fitted with a hinged bronze collar and a domed lid surmounted by a finely cast pinecone finial resting on a bed of leaves.

Markings: The porcelain is unmarked. The underside of the bronze lid button is stamped “FRANCE”.

1. The Porcelain (Origin & Age):

• Chinese Blue & White Porcelain.
• The porcelain appears to be Late Qing Dynasty (19th Century) made in the style of the earlier Kangxi period. The “heaped and piled” effect of the blue glaze (meant to look like older Ming dynasty cobalt) is a technique that was heavily revived in the late 1800s.
• Adaptation: This porcelain piece was likely originally a Water Coupe (used by Chinese scholars to hold water for grinding ink) or a small jar that was cut down or adapted by French metalsmiths to become an inkwell.

2. The Mounts (Origin & Age):

• These are French Gilt Bronze (Ormolu) mounts.
• Date: The mounts date to c. 1890–1910 (Belle Époque period).

3. The Symbolism:

• The motif is the classic “Two Dragons Chasing the Flaming Pearl.” The dragon represents the Emperor/Yang energy, and the pearl represents wisdom, spiritual energy, and immortality.

Estimated Age

Assembly Date: c. 1890–1900. (The porcelain itself is likely mid-to-late 19th century; the mounts are late 19th century).