Heart Sutra - Yixing Brushpot - 铁画轩 Tie Hua Xuan store - China - Republic period (1912-1949)

Yixing Hongni Gongfu Tea Set with Heart Sutra Decoration
China, Republic Period

A finely matched Yixing clay Gongfu tea set consisting of a fairness cup (Gongdao Bei 公道杯), three tea cups, and a tea waste bowl (Jian Shui 建水), all executed in bright red Hongni clay.

The fairness cup and waste bowl are potted in an elegant bulbous form terminating in a hexagonal mouth, combining practical functionality with refined geometric aesthetics associated with scholarly tea culture. All pieces are finely engraved on the exterior with passages from the Heart Sutra (心经), one of the most important texts in Mahāyāna Buddhism.

The bases are stamped:

铁画轩紫 (Tie Hua Xuan Zi)

Tie Hua Xuan (“Iron Painting Pavilion”) was a well-known Yixing pottery and decorative arts company established in Shanghai on Sima Road in 1913, during the early Republic period. Founded by Dai Guobao, a respected ceramic artist known for carving designs with iron needles, the workshop became associated with finely engraved Yixing wares combining calligraphy, Buddhist texts, and literati aesthetics.

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+++ Bids below the reserve price will not be considered after the auction closes, please bid to buy. +++
Reserve: EUR 150

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Dimensions:
Fairness cup (Gongdao Bei): H 5.5 × W 9 cm
Tea cups: H 5 × W 6.3 cm
Tea waste bowl (Jian Shui): H 6.8 × W 9.5 cm

Condition:
Fairness cup: two rim chips covered with brown lacquer and a short hairline crack.
Tea cups: one cup with two hairlines; second cup with an impact crack to the foot rim; third cup with two chips and associated hairline cracks.
Tea waste bowl: tiny rim chip.

Please refer to the images for the definitive and binding description of the item’s condition.

Shipping:
The set will be securely packed and shipped with insurance.