Tang Dynasty Recumbent Bactrian Camel Unglazed Pottery, Estate Col.

A very fine Tang Dynasty recumbent pottery figure of a camel and removable saddle. 

This quite superb example with its elegantly sculpted body, finely detailed head and perfectly formed body is among the best of Tang examples produced during the period. The removable saddle with accoutrements is particularly well detailed also and is original to the figure.

Provenance: This particularly fine example came from the estate of Chinese and Asian Art collector Christopher Weld of Ipswich Massachusetts (DOD March 7, 2017) .

The Camel was bought from the Chinese Porcelain Company, 475 Park Avenue, New York City. (see the attached original receipt)

I knew Christopher Weld and had the opportunity to spend hours with him examining his massive collection of mostly fine 18th C. Chinese Armorial wares for the English market, rare Ming blue and white wares as well as earlier Tang examples. He was a true collector.

Much of his collection was purchased from scholar and dealer David Sanctuary Howard who wrote the book (literally) “Chinese Armorial Porcelain” now the standard reference on the topic as well as “New York And The China Trade”.  Much of the rest he bought from the Chinese Porcelain Company in New York under the guidance of the firm’s founder Khalil Rizk.

Christopher had impeccable taste.