Chinese - Mudman-style Figures - Made in Hong fashion Kong - Washed Glazes - Chinese Mudmen Figures Having Tea - Detailing in Hair and Face

These figures sitting and having tea are a type of 'mudmen'. They were made in Hong Kong (marked on bottom) and have a different glazing technique; washed glazes in maroon/brown and grey/blue.

"Original, antique mudmen were from Qing (1644-1911), 1900's to the mid 1950's. The smallest figures were used as backdrops in fish tanks, bonsai plants, and the larger figures were used in planters, vases, ashtrays or even lamp bases. Mud figures primarily come from the pottery centers of the Shiwan and Wanjiang area in Guangdong Province as well as other regions of China. These pottery centers are still operational today and making the figures in the same poses but with much more concentration on facial expressions and the modern figures are much more refined than the vintage mud figures.
Antique mud figures are somewhat primitive and are glazed in vibrant blue, green, purple, yellow, red, and pearly white to name a few. Vintage mud men have holes in the clay for their eyes, ears, nose and their faces, feet, hands, and any exposed skin is left in the natural clay form. Modern figures extremities are also left unglazed but the clay is quite smooth and uniform in texture -with a more modern figurine appearance. The usual marking found on the underside or base of these vintage wares is an impressed mark reading "CHINA". Most older figures have a hole in the bottom of the base that extends up inside the figure. It should be noted that many of modern pieces have a solid base or a simple "vent" hole in the base that is fashion smooth and opens into a machine formed cavity rather then the primitive clay finger hole of the vintage pieces."

This piece measures 3½" tall and is 4" wide. There is an impressed 'Hong Kong' mark and the clays is very dark brown. The figure on the left is missing a hand.

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