Chinese Bamboo-Form Hat Stand with Plant Motif

A hat stand that decided to become a tree.

Craftsmen of Hebei Province, China, made this bamboo-form hat stand with a plant motif in porcelain in the 19th century. Cylindrical porcelain stands like this were commonly used in scholar’s or household rooms to hold hats, fans or scrolls. Here the white cylinder is pierced all the way through to form a lattice of leaves, and a carved branch winds up one side in relief. The glaze is a creamy ivory, with a thick unpierced rim and foot ring at the top and bottom.

About 12 inches tall and 5 across. Light, lacy, and surprisingly sculptural.