Eight miniature glazed funerary objects from the Ming period – (#4758) Taking care of loved ones in the afterlife was and still is very important to the Chinese people. For thousands of years miniature copies of the things which were used in real life were interred with the dead. During the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), blue, green, brown and aubergine glazes were used to give pottery objects, also called tile-works, more appeal. The objects were acquired from antiques dealers in Hong Kong in the period 1989-1994 and were formerly part of the Lowlands-collection. (1) Teapot Miniature green and amber glazed model of a teapot. The pot was only suitable for the afterlife because it is almost completely solid and cannot contain any fluids because of the porosity of the material. When shaken, the teapot makes a rattling sound. Length 9.6 cm. Diameter pot 6.7 cm. Height 7.2 cm. (2) Ingot-shaped cakes Miniature greenish white and brown glazed pottery dish with ingot-shaped cakes or bread. Gold bars symbolized a wish for prosperity. Items such as this were often placed on a miniature pottery table together with other food items. Diameter dish 5.7 cm. Height including cakes 5.6 cm. (3) Persimmons Miniature green and dark brown glazed dish with fruits. We believe that these are persimmons also known as kaki. The kaki is among the oldest plants in cultivation and was used in China for more than 2000 years. In some rural Chinese communities, the kaki fruit is seen as having a great mystical power that can be used to solve headaches, back pains and foot aches. Diameter dish 5.1 cm. Height including fruits 6.7 cm. (4) Cone-shaped food item Miniature light brown and green glazed pottery dish with a pointed food item which may either be a pudding or a fruit cut in half. The object is covered in a thick layer of calcite. Diameter dish 3.7 cm. Height including food 3.2 cm. (5 & 6) Pair of dishes with round cakes Miniature pair of partly green glazed pottery dishes with round cakes or bread. Remains of a white undercoating on the cakes show that they were originally cold-painted. Diameter dish 4.9 cm. Height including cakes 3.3 cm. (7) Bowl Miniature green glazed pottery bowl. Diameter at the rim 2.8 cm. Height 1.9 cm. (8) Bowl Miniature dark green glazed pottery bowl. Diameter at the rim 3.8 cm. Height 2.3 cm. THE LAST PHOTO SHOWS THE COMPLETE COLLECTION. The blue box is NOT (!!!), repeat NOT included in the sale. WE PREFER NOT TO SELL OR SHIP TO AMERICA BECAUSE OF THE COMPLICATED IMPORT PROCEDURE !!!