Page 177 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

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CABINET OBJECTS
A SERIES of cabinet objects, enameled in "three colors," of Ming and

early K'ang-hsi ("Ch'ing") porcelain, showing unglazed portions of the
biscuit, or a paste with less kaolin, and characteristic of the early periods
under which they were produced.

Included also are so-called tea-pots, although their ancient use is said

to have been for serving spiced wines. Of these objects various types are

represented in polychrome decoration, with the distinctive early "famille
verte" glazes.

The decoration is executed chiefly in unshaded colors, and the examples,
especially those made under the Emperor K'ang-hsi, show much refine-

ment and delicacy in the handling of the three translucent glazes i-e.,
green, yellow, and purple (aubergine). These "three-colored" pieces are
so called by the Chinese, in distinction from the "five-" and "seven-
colored" classes. Black sometimes figures in these types, being used to
outline the designs on the biscuit before the other glazes are employed.

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