Chinese Gourd & Cricket Vase Blue Amber Enamel Calligraphy Republic Style 11.5”

A finely decorated Chinese porcelain gourd-form vase featuring vibrant blue underglaze vines entwined with amber-yellow gourds and a delicately rendered grasshopper below — a motif symbolizing fertility, abundance, and the joy of harvest.

The neck is finished in a mottled iron-brown glaze, contrasting elegantly with the white ground below. The reverse bears a poetic inscription with artist signature and red seals, reflecting the literati influence often seen in Republic-period ceramics. The foot shows a fine crackle glaze within an unglazed biscuit rim, typical of hand-thrown mid-century studio porcelain.

Details:

Height: approx. 12-13 inches (estimate)

Form: Gourd-shaped vase with tapering shoulder

Decoration: Blue underglaze and amber overglaze enamels, with hand-brushed calligraphy

Motifs: Gourds, vines, and cricket (symbolic of vitality and prosperity)

Neck glaze: Iron-brown mottled finish

Base: Glazed with natural crackle; unmarked

Era: Republic to mid-20th century (c. 1930s-1960s)

Condition: Excellent, minimal age wear, no chips or cracks observed

Origin: China

A beautifully balanced example of 20th-century Chinese artistry — ideal for collectors of poetic or scholar-themed ceramics.

💡 Keywords: Chinese porcelain vase, gourd motif, cricket vase, Republic period, blue and amber enamel, literati art, Asian antique, Chinese calligraphy vase, scholar decor, symbolic porcelain.

Stands 11 inches tall

7 inches at its widest point across

The Chinese writing on the vase says:

秋實: (Qiūshí) - Autumn harvest or fruits of autumn

丙戍年: (Bǐng xū nián) - The year of Bingxu (in the Chinese sexagenary cycle)

吳福作: (Wú fú zuò) - Made by Wu Fu