Mug

The stein is incomplete; a chip is missing from the rim, its original handle, broken and missing, has been replaced by an iron band, and breaks have been repaired with metal studs. It is bell-shaped, with a wall slightly narrowed at mid-height, topped by a flared rim with a domed top, and widening at its base. The base of the wall is narrowed and rests on a circular pedestal, the fulcrum of which is free of glaze. The center of the base is recessed and flat. It is fitted with a vertical handle made of a curved iron band covered with wicker-braided strips; it is held to the wall by two iron rods that pass through the band and the wall, and are riveted at their ends. The outer wall features three copper metal studs, the ends of which are inserted into as many pairs of drilled holes ; The decoration is hand-painted in polychrome enamels in pink, orange, green, blue, black and white over glaze, with gold highlights. The design is animal-like, in the Famille rose style. The decoration is painted under the rim and on the outer wall. Under the rim, it consists of a fillet traced in red, bordering a frieze composed of various elements repeated in alternation, including half-flowers traced in black and painted in green and white, flowers painted in pink, Ruyi heads trimmed with ribbons and double lozenges, traced in red and painted in gold, and surrounded by fine scrolls traced in red. The main decoration on the wall is on one side of the handle. It features a shrub outlined in black and painted pink, with branches painted green and decorated with flowers painted pink and white. It supports a peacock drawn in black and painted green and pink. A small winged insect twirls beside it. At its feet are blue rocks with holes, symbols of the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, surrounded by small pink-painted flowers and black-painted green leaves. Also emerging are branches traced in black and painted green, trimmed with green-painted leaves and supporting various pink-painted flowers, including a large peony. The opposite wall features a plant with stems and leaves traced in black and painted green, supporting pink-painted flowers. On either side of the handle, the wall is decorated with red-veined leaves. The top of the rim is covered with a brown iron-based coating.