Tang Dynasty Extremely Rare Sancai Glazed Pottery Money Chest Gui

Tang Dynasty, 618–907 AD, Xi'an (Chang'an), Shaanxi Province, China

This magnificent and exceedingly rare earthenware money chest exemplifies the mastery of Tang dynasty artisans. Fashioned in imitation of a metal or wood prototype, the rectangular chest rests on four bracket feet, each adorned with cream and amber-glazed bosses resembling decorative metal studs. The sides, glazed in vibrant green, rise to crescent-shaped tops secured with further stud-like adornments, evoking the intricate craftsmanship of functional chests. The elaborately decorated top features a repeating triangle pattern in green and cream glaze, adding an elegant geometric touch. Amber-glazed lion-mask or palmette motifs embellish the sides, with a loop for a padlock at the center. Though its small ‘hinged’ removable lid is now missing, the piece retains its remarkable grandeur. 

Sancai (three-color) glazed wares were a hallmark of Tang funerary art, admired for their vibrant hues of green, amber, and cream. Models of money chests like this one were symbolic treasures, often placed in tombs as mingqi (spirit goods) to ensure the deceased's prosperity in the afterlife. While such chests are incredibly rare, they reflect the Tang dynasty's cosmopolitan spirit, technological innovation, and devotion to cultural and artistic excellence. The Tang dynasty, celebrated as a golden age of Chinese civilization, brought forth unparalleled achievements in art, trade, and governance, with objects like this chest serving as enduring legacies of its sophisticated material culture.

Good condition. Original glazing are still vibrant and luminous. Age-related wear and abrasion. Chip on one of the top corners. Missing lid. Glazing flaws and fritting. Rich encrusted earthen deposits. Size approx. 15,5cm x 10,9cm x 13,0cm. 

Provenance: Swedish private collection.

For a similar examples see:

Casket (gui) and Lock, Saint Luis Art Museum, accession number: 931:1940a,b (https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/18439/)

Compare to a similar sancai-glazed pottery money chest (15,6 cm), sold at Sotheby's, New York, 22 September 2021, Important Chinese Art, lot 166. (https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/important-chinese-art-5/an-extremely-rare-blue-and-sancai-glazed-pottery)

Compare to a similar sancai-glazed pottery money chest (15,0 cm), sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2021, Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, lot 2926. (https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6318542)

Compare to a slightly larger sancai pottery money chest (23,3 cm), sold at Christie’s New York, 21 September 2000, lot 267 (fig. 1).

Closely related example in the Shaanxi History Museum, Xi'an, accession number: 511.

References and further reading:

Gilded Dragons: Buried Treasures from China’s Golden Ages, The British Museum, ed. Carol Michaelson, 1999.

Immortality of the Spirit: Chinese Funerary Art from the Han and Tang Dynasties Exhibition Catalogue, Jill J. Deupi, Ive Covaci & Leopold Swergold, Immortality of the Spirit - Ephemera. 1, Fairfield University, 2012. (https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/immortality_ephemera/1)

Arts of the Tang Court, Patricia Eichenbaum Karetzky, Hong Kong; New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

The Art of the Yellow Springs: Understanding Chinese Tombs, Wu Hung, London: Reaktion Books, 2011.