Chelsea White Chinaman Teapot with Parrot Spout, Circa 1745-49

A fine and important Chelsea white Chinaman and Parrot Teapot & Cover, modelled as a seated figure of a grinning Putai, his loose robe reveals a protuberant stomach, he seated cross-legged holding a parrot by its tail and wing, the bird’s open beak forming the spout, the entwined branch handle with beech-nut and leafy terminals, his fluted conical hat forming the cover with beach-nut and foliate finial, incised triangle mark.

There are only four recorded examples known of this Chinaman and Parrot Teapot of which this example is one. The three other examples are as follows:

The Wallace Elliot Teapot which is now in the Victoria & Albert Museum

The Kaufmann Tea Pot which is now in the Colonial Williamsburg Museum

The second Kaufman Teapot which was sold by Christie’s, 3rd April 1973, Lot 45 and later on 20th May 1991.

Examples are illustrated by William King, “Chelsea Porcelain” Pl. 19, Honey, “Old English Porcelain”, Pl. 1 and Frank Tilley, “Teapots & Tea”, Pl. 15, Fig. 54.

The Chelsea White Chinaman and Serpent Teapots were made to form the pair to the Chinaman and Parrot examples.