Chinese Green Soapstone Diminutive Tea Pot with Silver Lid and Copper Accents. 

Silver is low grade. Numerous figures adorn the entire piece, including a sitting Buddha, frogs, lions, and dragons. Faded hallmark on underside. 

Condition: Commensurate with use and age. 

Size: 3 1/2 x 3 x 4 1/4 in. 

For millennia the Chinese used soapstone to make a wide variety of art and items, including dishes, utensils, plates, teapots, and boxes. However, Yixing clay teapots (stoneware made from a reddish-brown clay found in that specific region) became the preferred and influential type starting in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Soapstone continued to be used for art, with the more greener hues heavily desired for their similar appearance to jade, and during the Qing Dynasty nostalgia for older forms and ornate designs led to a revival of using soapstone for a broad range of household items, although on a much smaller scale than in antiquity.

Commensurate with use and age. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.