Asian Works of Art
The Asian Works of Art department deals with a wide range of ceramics and works of art from
around Asia. Every week several lots of ceramics, glass and works of art from Asia come up
for auction in Home Contents auctions, whereas the finer and rarer examples appear
in the monthly fine art & antiques and specialist auctions.
Sold for £14,000
Chinese enamelled and gilt wall plaque, likely 19th century. The double-gourd plaque is
raised on a faux bois stand with an orange ribbon tied at the waist. A gilt bat adorns
the top of the plaque. The upper section of the plaque houses the character da,
surrounded by enameled butterflies, foliage, and peaches. In the lower section is the
character ji, also enclosed in a roundel and encircled by similar floral and fauna. 34cm
high. The Chinese character for ‘bat’ is the same as that for ‘good fortune’ and so the
bat is a symbol of good luck in China. Furthermore, the bat on this plaque appears to be
upside down, intimating that good fortune has arrived (in the place where this plaque
hangs). The butterfly is symbolic of beauty and love, especially long-lasting love
between young couples. The butterflies here are in blue, a colour which can be associated
with immortality in China. The peach, too, is a symbol of beauty, love, and long-life.
The combination of the bat and the peach can allude to the relationship between man and
woman: the bat stands as the male principle and the peach as the female. Very good
condition – only slight rubbing to gilt.
Contact
Glasgow girl Magda Ketterer studied for a degree in History Of Art at Glasgow University, focusing her
study on Chinese and Japanese Art. After completing a subsequent Masters degree in the History of
collecting and collections, she studied at Tokyo’s Chuo University and later lived for a time in Paris.
This allowed her to develop her language skills in both Japanese and French. On her return to Glasgow
Magda began full-time at McTear’s, having worked at the auction house throughout her University career.