Koueï Hsien, Star God of Letters, Ming Porcelain Figure, Plate, 1911

Plate 79 of the 1911 book Chinese Porcelain and Hard Stones, an original color plate of Chinese porcelain, illustrates a figure of Koueï Hsien, the Taoist star god of letters, on a decorated seat. He holds the pearl in his right hand and a biscuit dragon with engraved scales in his left; the flesh is aubergine and the apple green coat has yellow cruciform clouds. The seat is decorated with green and yellow lozenge trellis, green ice crackle with prunus, and aubergine scrollwork. Gorer and Blacker describe it as Ming period; height 11 inches (28 cm), width 5 1/4 inches (13 cm).

This is one of the two hundred and fifty four color plates in Chinese Porcelain and Hard Stones, published in London by Bernard Quaritch in 1911 for Edgar Gorer and J. F. Blacker. The piece was photographed and the plate printed in color, so the glaze, the palette and the modeling of the original are carried over directly rather than interpreted by a draftsman. Each plate faced a page of description in English and French. The plates are color collotypes, and the book records that it was produced and printed by the Menpes Printing and Engraving Company of London and Watford.

Edgar Gorer (1872 to 1915) was a London dealer in Chinese art. He traded as S. Gorer and Son from 170 New Bond Street, opened a shop at 500 Fifth Avenue in New York, and sold to Sir William Lever, later Lord Leverhulme. He was lost on 7 May 1915 when the Lusitania was torpedoed.

Even age toning. A few small foxing spots in the margin. All four corners complete.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.