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WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay
WHAT’S SELLING ON eBay

by Jessica Kosinski

$4,494 (Bids 94, Bidders 39) Rare Antique Chinese Porcelain Large $1,278 (Bids 70, Bidders 32) Antique, Letitia Bonnet Hart, Victorian
Vase Yuhuchunping Blue White Lions Qing. This beautiful antique Woman w/ Bonnet Portrait Painting, NR. Measuring 12” by 16”, this
Chinese porcelain vase is a true treasure for any collector. Crafted from circa 1900 Oil Painting is on stretched canvas and is signed in the lower
high-quality porcelain and adorned with stunning blue and white lions, left-hand corner by the American female portrait artist, Letitia Bonnet
this Yuhuchunping vase is a rare find. Its intricate details and exquisite (Bennett) Hart (1867-1953). This portrait depicts a beautiful Victorian
craftsmanship showcase the artistry of the Qing era. The motifs painted on Woman who is trying on a new bonnet. You can see the hat box on
this vase indicate that it may have been produced for the SE Asian markets, the floor, near her feet and she is looking at her reflection in a full-length
Straits, or Bencharong. mirror. … This authentic Letitia Hart Painting is in very good unrestored
This antique original piece is a must-have for any Asian antique enthu- condition with a fine and stable craquelure to
siast. With its primary material being porcelain and pottery, this blue and the surface. It comes in the original 17 1/2”
white vase is a perfect addition to any collection. Its origin is from China, by 21 1/2” gilt frame which does have some
and it is truly a work of art. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to own surface wear and tiny edge and corner gesso
such a rare piece. nicks. Seller: wwolst12
The vase itself measures roughly 17” tall and whilst on the stand
closer to 19”. The dark hardwood stand is beautifully hand-carved and JK: Letitia Bonnet (Bennett) Hart (1867-
very dense/ heavy for its size. It is in generally fine condition with only 1953) was born in New York. However,
a short hairline at the top rim as well as a lamp hole at the base with she also lived in Connecticut and Florida.
two corresponding light hairlines associated with the hole. Seller: The latter is where she passed away. She
floridafineobjects was the daughter of James McDougal
Hart. James was a painter who was part of
what is known as the Hudson River
School, a 19th century art movement
based in the Hudson River Valley region.
Meanwhile, Letitia’s mother, Mary
Theresa Gorsuch Hart, was also an artist.
Mary famously painted a popular piece
called Easter Morning featuring flowers
and a cross. Letitia’s aunt and uncle, Julie
Hart Beers and James Hart, were also
both artists.
Letitia herself began exhibiting her
works of art in 1885. The painting’s
subject appears to be unknown. It’s
simply a woman trying on a bonnet.
However, many of Letitia’s portraits
were of a person who was near and
dear to her. That person was her
sister and fellow artist Mary Theresa
JK: When looking at the title of the above auction, you might think Hart. The two had a very close per-
“yuhuchunping” is the name of a particular maker or Chinese dynasty. It’s sonal and working relationship,
not. China has a long history as far as pottery. It is especially known for which unfortunately ended when
the production of a wide range of vases and urns. Over the years, they have Mary Theresa passed away in 1942.
been produced in many shapes. One of those is yuhuchunping, which Prices for Letitia’s works have
means “pear-shaped” in Chinese. varied over the years. A lot depends
Yuhuchunping vases were quite culturally significant in China. The on the medium, the size of the piece,
shape first appeared between 608–917 AD, which was during the Tang and its condition, as well as its sub-
dynasty. While initially used as vessels for holy water, pear-shaped vases of ject matter. MutualArt.com listed them as selling for $531 to $6,250.
the sort above were later used to hold wine. Such vases were used for that However, that was based on figures from sold auctions compiled in 2015.
purpose often during the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 AD). The above Art values are ever-changing and depend on many factors. I was unable to
example is listed as being from the Qing dynasty, which was the last find a comparable sale price list from a more current year. However, the
imperial dynasty of China. It lasted from 1644 to 1912 AD. fact that this recent eBay auction had 32 bidders and 70 total bids shows
Chinese porcelain and ceramic arts have taken many forms over the there is still quite a bit of interest in her work today.
centuries, and many are quite collectible. In fact, some can sell for millions
of dollars. One famous example occurred in 2013 when someone
purchased a set of “Chinese chicken cups” for $3 and auctioned them for Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for
$2.2 million in New York. However, as reported by CNN in 2017, that 1980s pre-1980s TV and films as a kid, and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned
single sale caused a huge spike in the production of fake items in China. that passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at medium.com/@jkos_writing,
Therefore, it is important to use caution when trying to authenticate such as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest
items, especially when making online purchases. films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of
us may have forgotten.

8 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles