Yvett Klein
Specialist
Asian Art / A blue-and-white 'longevity' host-cup 19th century
Previously from a Japanese private collection | 前日本私人收藏（Lot 1, and Lot 14 to 45, and 50 to 53）
Lot 40
A blue-and-white 'longevity' host-cup
19th century
10 August 2022, 18:00 AEST
SydneySold for AU$1,353 inc. premium
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A blue-and-white 'longevity' host-cup
19th century
with tomobako and inscribed, 7.6cm high
with tomobako and inscribed, 7.6cm high
Footnotes
With a hole at the base, and when being filled with water whilst the hole being covered, the cup only allows water to be filled up to the 'peach', otherwise the water would all be emptied through the hole when it is uncovered. The inscribed tomobako names the cup 'hachibu-hai', eight-tenth cup, suggesting that one only fills the cup 80% full. This type of measuring cups for tea or wine are also known as 'gongdao bei' in China, literally fair-cup, using to dispense tea for guests from the host and be certain that everyone shares the same amount, hence the name 'fair'.
十九世紀 青花「壽星」八分杯 並供箱，銘「古染附八分杯」
底部鉆空，按住小孔注湯時，水位若超過壽星手中壽桃，放開小孔后，注湯盡流失。供箱題識名其曰「八分杯」，意指注湯容量。此類量杯又稱公道杯、勻杯，均用于茶酒道中主人分茶酒，每人等分。