Chinese Ceramic Oil Lamp

Deep chestnut glaze and a tidy dish at the foot, like a candlestick in a hurry.

This glazed pottery oil lamp is from China, and dates to the 20th century. Before electricity reached many rural areas, small oil lamps with a wick and a ceramic reservoir were a common source of light in Chinese households. Slender vessel with a shallow cup at the top, a ringed neck, and a swelling lower body set in a wide saucer. The glaze is rich reddish-brown with fine speckles and a smooth, glassy surface that thins at the rims. It is 7.25 inches high and 5.75 in diameter.

Rich color, crisp rings, and nothing wasted.