A Rare Blue And White Spherical Teapot - China, 18th Century, Kangxi Period

A rare porcelain teapot with underglaze blue decoration. The body is flattened and moulded.
China, 18th century
Kangxi period (1661-1722)

The body of this teapot is circular and flattened, shaped like a flask. Both the spout and the body are decorated with floral motifs. The design radiates from the centre of the body, with branches extending outward and appearing to follow the contours of the form. In addition to its flattened shape, the teapot also displays a subtle spiral movement.

Teapots of similar shape (flask-shaped) can be found, the form itself being inspired by Islamic pottery. This type is discussed in Four Centuries of Blue and White, Becky McGuire, 2023, p. 157. What distinguishes this particular teapot is the dynamic movement created by the moulding: it is not only the applied relief decoration, but the entire body of the teapot that is shaped in this way.

For a comparable model, see :

– A Culture Revealed: Kangxi-era Porcelain from the Jie Rui Tang Collection, Jeffrey P. Stamen, Cynthia Volk and Yibin Ni, 2017, fig. 102

– Sotheby’s, Kangxi: The Jie Rui Tang Collection, 20 March 2018, Lot 379

– Four Centuries of Blue and White, Becky McGuire, p.157, fig. 123

The finial on the lid has been reattached to the lid, and a few chips to the lid or small missing pieces have also been restored, a firing defect on the lid.

The teapot body is in very good condition, with a few small firing defects, tiny fritting at some places.

More information and photos available upon request.