A Chinese white pottery model of a prancing horse, Tang Dyna...

Estimate

£6,000 - £8,000

A Chinese white pottery model of a prancing horse, Tang Dynasty (618-907), the spirited horse is modelled with right foreleg raised, the mane swept to one side and mouth open, standing on a rhomboid base, with traces of red and dark black pigments around the head, two large dripped runs of ochre glaze either side of the tail and another green patch of glaze to the edge of the base, 17in. (43.2cm.) high, 18½in. (47cm.) long, on a modern perspex stand. * Provenance: Purchased by the current owners from Dragon Culture Ltd., Hollywood Road, Hong Kong in 1999. Accompanied by a copy of the original Thermoluminescence Analysis Report by Oxford Authentication Ltd., dated 5th March 1999, confirming that the age is consistent with the suggested period of manufacture. Some repair and touch-ups to losses as would be expected from Tang dynasty excavations. Losses, fissures and encrustations. Drill holes from thermoluminescence analysis to rump of back right leg, underside of front right leg and underside of lower jaw. Minor firing flaws, such as firing cracks, glaze flakes, glaze recesses, and dark spots. Main body of horse hay have been off the legs and restored, although we are not certain - there are smooth, whiter sections to the top of each of the legs which are attached to the base. This is also borne out by the TLA report, which states that sample B, 'Under the prancing leg', contained restoration so could not be dated.