Description Two small, blue-and-white pots and one large pot, all dating from the 18th to 19th centuries. One small pot has a floral design with borders in blue glaze. A medium-sized pot has a wave and dragon design in blue glaze. The large pot has a blue interior scene glazed on the outside. All pots are unsigned. Dimensions are: Large pot: 4 1/2 inches tall X 2 1/2 inches diameter; 11.4 cm tall X 6.3 cm diameter. Small pot: 2 3/8 inches tall X 2 3/8 inches diameter; 6 cm tall X 6 cm diameter. All measurements are approximate.
Condition Report Edge chip of rim on large pot.
Provenance From the old collection of Mr. William Wu, San Francisco, USA. William Wu (1939-2007) was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his family when he was young. In 1957, he was admitted to the Department of Philosophy at Princeton University. Because of his interest in history, in 1979 he received a doctorate in art history from Princeton University focusing on the Chinese artist Gong Xian. After graduation, he was successively employed as a professor of art history at Dartmouth, Oberlin, and other colleges. He later settled in San Francisco, California, where he presided over the Chinese Cultural Center, held regular cultural exhibitions, and devoted himself to introducing Chinese culture and artists to Western audiences. During the 1980s, he traveled between San Francisco and Shanghai and became an important bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges. Professor William Wu and the famous movie star Jet Li are distant relatives, and he was a great help in the early years of Jet Li's career development. Mr. Wu maintained contact with Jet Li during his life.