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Here's an image of the Chinese Longevity deity Shoulao I've had for years and never quite been able to figure out as to when and where he was produced. I do know he doesn't apparently need a dentist, as his teeth and eyes have been enameled in white. The brown clay looks like it may be an Yixing product, but the handwritten characters inside the hollow base are not the kind I can easily digest. Hopefully I.Nagy can come to my rescue again on that point.

Interestingly, the characters have fingerprints clearly visible on their surface, where the delicate brush that did the writing glided across the whorls leaving the spaces between them unpainted. Fingerprints are usually taken as a sign of the older art of hand-molding, often signifying 18th century or early origins.

Any and all ideas on this piece would be welcome.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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