Current Bid:
$10.00
Minimum Bid:
Auction has ended.
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This object is a
Chinese ceramic cat pillow (also known as a headrest), typically designed in the traditional
Cizhou stoneware style. [
1]
Key Characteristics & History
- Design: It features a recumbent or crouching cat, glazed in an off-white or cream slip with painted green and brown/black spots. The hollow interior and flat or slightly dipped back allow it to function as a firm neck support. [1, 2]
- Historical Use: In ancient China (reaching a peak during the Tang, Song, and Jin dynasties), ceramic pillows were highly popular, especially during hot summer months, because the cold glazed pottery helped cool down the person sleeping. They were also used to keep elaborate hairstyles intact during rest and to maintain proper spinal alignment. [1]
- Symbolism: Cats were believed to be auspicious animals capable of warding off evil spirits, protecting the sleeper's dreams, and catching pests (both literal mice and spiritual disturbances).
- Later Variations: While authentic pieces date back centuries, many examples found today are late 19th-century Qing Dynasty antiques or 20th-century decorative reproductions. Similar ceramic pillows were also famously utilized in 19th-century opium dens
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