Pair of Celadon-Glazed Haitai Statues, Song to Ming

These celadon-glazed figures appear to be a pair of lion-form (獅子形) mythical guardian beasts made for altar use. The reddish-brown to ochre stoneware body visible at the exposed foot rim is characteristic of iron-rich southern Chinese stoneware clay. The densely layered carving — overlapping scale motifs on the qilin-type figure and curling mane with a saddle-cloth ornament on the lion-type figure — reflects a decorative sensibility consistent with production after the Song dynasty. The pierced, hollowed mouths on each figure suggest a function as incense holders, a form commonly produced in pairs to flank an incense burner on a ritual altar. Taken together, the clay body, glaze, carving style, and functional structure point toward a Song to Ming dynasty attribution, from a southern celadon kiln within the Longquan tradition.

Period : Song to Ming dynasty
Type : Haitai Statue
Medium : Celadon
Condition : Overall good condition. The left figure has a hairline crack and old repair at the foreleg-to-base join.
Provenance : The piece was acquired in Hong Kong in the year late 1990s.