Bidspirit auction | 2 Dehua Blanc de Chine

2 Dehua Blanc de Chine Whistles - Two Chinese export Dehua Blanc de Chine porcelain toy whistles, ca. 1700. Each with a European figure and a beast. One riding astride a sea lion and carrying an oar; the other leaning slightly to the side with a small hound-like creature. Illustrated: Howard, ”Choice of the Private Trader, ” p. 250 (the larger). Howard & Ayers, ”China for the West, ” Vol. 1, p. 97, no. 62 (both). Donnelly, ”Blanc de Chine, ” pl. 119B (the smaller). Provenance: Sotheby's, New York, ”Important Chinese Export Porcelain from the Mottahedeh Collection, ” 30 January 1985, Lot 36; The Distinguished Collection of Leo & Doris Hodroff. Exhibition: Virginia Museum, 1981-82; China Trade Museum, 1983. Reference: Sargent, ”The Copeland Collection, ” pg. 94-96, nos. 39-42. Lot Essay: Small porcelain toys, such as these whistles, were relatively small and inexpensive and consequently were exported in large quantities in the early 18th century. Few whistles remain intact today, most being broken along the cut into the porcelain whistle. August the Strong's 1721 inventory lists twenty-one such whistles that, even as early as that time, were described as ”almost all the whistles are broken” and ”nearly all damaged.” These are also described as taper or joss stick holders by Howard & Ayers, though they more resemble whistles as described in Sargent. (Larger) height: 3 3/4 in x width: 3 in x depth: 1 1/4 in. (Smaller) height: 2 3/4 in x width: 2 in x depth: 2 in. Condition: To the larger figure there is a hairline crack going down the center of the seal's face into the chest. Hairline cracks to the legs. There is a crude repair where the figure has been reattached to the seal. Small chips and repairs to the rim of the figure's hat. Loss to the sack along the side of the figure. To the smaller figure there are two losses: one arm is missing; the incense holder has a small loss. Wear to the undersides of both pieces.