Whimsical Whistles from Long Ago

This post will be going slightly off topic as I will be showing objects which are neither jade nor beads. Instead I will show my 3 antique  ceramic whistles from around the Song - Yuan dynasty or later.  But since whistles like beads are tiny and have pierced holes I somehow see a connection.😊

Antique porcelain whistles are one of the tiniest artefacts made by Chinese potters. I don't really know what function they serve in the old days but it has been speculated that whistles are toys (for children ?) Another research paper has put up a theory that they are possibly musical  instruments giving out wonderful notes.  So far I have not the nerve to  test them with my mouth.😋

My 3 whistles were made in the Cizhou kilns of Hebei, China. This kiln mostly catered to the needs of common people  and Cizhou porcelain was typical of folk wares of this period.

Now to show the pictures of the 3 diminutive figurine whistles. The 2 smaller whistles are only 4.5 cm high while the bigger one measures 6 cm. 

3 ceramic whistles from  Cizhou kilns

This pair looks like a pair of twins. They have a dignified air and  I cant make out whether they are boys or men. Also seem to be bearing some object in their hands.

Are they twins?

Although the bigger whistle has lost its glaze some details can still be gleaned. The figurine has a  benevolent smile and mien with hands  clasped round a bag with handle

Figurine has a benevolent smile

Showing the back of the  2 smaller whistles

Holes on top and at the back

The bigger whistle unfortunately  is partially broken at the back

Partial damage to the back

And here's a modern whistle from granddaughter Sophie, borrowed for comparison.

Modern 2018 child's whistle

Whistles from 10th-to 21st century.

The old with the new

* Please refer to Freer and Sackler Museum website for more examples of whistles from Cizhou kilns.

Lunar New Year of the Dog 2018

To usher in Year of the Dog 2018 I have assembled 9 Doggies from my collection. Here are the first 3 which hail from different periods of Chinese culture or history  bearing auspicious greetings on them.

 pottery dogs with auspicious greetings

Spotted dog on the right from Cizhou kilns of Song dynasty (960-1279 AD)  In the centre dog with black nose likely from 19th century  and brown dog on left may date as far back as Chinese prehistory.


More doggie themes on snuff bottles  and one carved from rock crystal shown below. Strictly speaking these three are not mine but borrowed from Heng.

More doggie themes  for Year if the Dog

I could not find a single bead with dog motif  but manage to unearth 2 jade pendants with carvings of dogs

White jade pendants with dog carving.

Little Sophie my granddaughter has loaned me her gold hair toy dog to wish blog reader's good health and peace for CNY 2018

Gold Hair toy dog welcomes Year of the Dog 2018

And here is little Sophie's version of Welcome to  Spring (Chun Jie)

Sophie's Song of Spring