Pewter container with lid for water

Object Details

• Description

  A pewter circular container with lid covered with quilted blue cotton fabric, to hold hot water as a warming device.

• Inscriptions

  Two oval marks appear on the interior of the circular lid:

  1. Tiantong (^c^)--a seal that frequently appears on Chinese pewter vessels. The characters apparently are meant to be interpreted as "decorated metal."

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Origin

  Tianjin, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1900s, 1890s

• Place

  China, Tianjin

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)