5022 - Porcelain Water Pipe from China, Famille Rose design featuring Chinese symbols of good luck and brass fittings

Porcelain Water Pipe from China, Famille Rose design featuring Chinese symbols of good luck and brass fittings Chinese water pipe with a round, multi-bulged porcelain body and intricately crafted brass fittings. The colorful design in the Famille Rose style features alternating red, green, yellow, and cobalt blue decorative panels with floral motifs and traditional Chinese characters. The individual decorative panels are adorned with Chinese symbols of good luck and blessings, representing prosperity, a long life, and happiness. The characters depicted include: • Happiness, blessings, and well-being. One of the most significant Chinese symbols of good fortune, representing prosperity and a fulfilling life. • Longevity and a long life. A traditional symbol of health, stability, and a long life. • Gold, symbolic of wealth and material prosperity. The individual porcelain segments are separated by richly ornamented, dark-patinated brass fittings. The top features an elaborately decorated metal mount with a curved stem, a carrying handle, and other pipe components. On the underside is a red Chinese seal mark, possibly an apocryphal ruler’s mark. • Origin: China\ • Material: Porcelain with polychrome enamel painting and brass mountings\ • Decoration: Famille Rose style with Chinese symbols of good fortune, floral motifs, and Chinese characters\ • Shape: Multi-curved, nearly spherical body\ • Fittings: Ornate brass fittings with carrying handle and stem\ • Base mark: Red Chinese seal mark; exact attribution uncertain\ • Condition: Age-related signs of wear, patina, and oxidation on the metal parts. Individual components of the pipe mechanism are detached or included separately. Functionality not tested. Dimensions: Diameter approx. 21 cm, body height approx. 11 cm.