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Posted 9 years ago
AnnieBee4711
(1 item)
Would love to know more about these two statues that have been in my family for generations. I remember growing up with them on my Grandma's mantel, but never realized the backstory until my uncle shared it with me recently. Apparently my Grandma's parents had an old friend/roommate that was a merchant seaman who lived with them when he was not sailing in the early 1900's back in Kansas City, Missouri. He went away to sea and never came back, leaving his sea trunk behind at their house. They never heard from anyone what had happened to him and so when they moved to California in the 1940's they finally opened the trunk and found clothes and these two statues which they gave to my Grandma. I don't know what their actual name is, my grandma always called them "Joss Gods" or something like that which has not helped identify them at all! ;-) You can barely see in the picture they have beautiful intricate brass inlay all over them. They do have some internal damage from wood borers but they were treated by an exterminator years ago and there are only small holes that are hard to see. I don't remember if there were any markings on the bottom, they belong to my uncle now in South Carolina and I've asked him to check if there are and see if we can get a better picture. Would love to know what they represent and if perhaps they might have any historical value. Thanks for any clues anyone would like to share with us!
Thank you! We did think they were probably Chinese. Am definitely hoping my uncle can send me some clearer and closer photos, and also of the back and bottom and any markings there may be. Will post them as soon as I can. Thanks for responding!
Hi - I'd like to know too as I have a carved figure of a man but otherwise very similar with what looks like brass inlay in the shape of the loutus flower all over the body of the figurine. I'll post a pic later.
I've just posted some pics. Thanks for any ideas of feedback. Does the brass inlay look my mine AnneBee?
Hi, Martini -
It does look a little bit like yours but much smaller and finer and all over, rather than big separate flowers like yours it's more like a fine filigree design all over. I also think it may be silver and not brass. We have never done any cleaning to them other than dust with a soft dry cloth in fear of damage so the metal part is a bit tarnished.
Stunning , love them ;-)
Li Tie Guai One of the Chinese Eight Immortals
Li Tie Guai (???; pinyin: L? Ti? Gu?i)
The Iron-Crutch Li
Because of his great skill at magic, Li Tie Guai, was able to free his soul from his body and aid and meet others in the celestial realm. Li Tie Guai, a good looking man used his skill frequently. Once, while his spirit was gone from his body, a disciple decided that Li Tie Guai was dead and burned his body as was traditional. When Li Tie Guai’s soul returned from its travels, he was forced to enter the body of a beggar.
He is represented as a lame beggar carrying a double gourd. The gourd, symbolizing longevity and the ability to ward off evil, has a cloud emanating from it. The cloud represents the soul, depicted as a formless shape.
The gourd represents also helping the needy and relieve the distressed.
Li Tie Guai is the emblem of the sick.