The teapot shows a scene of personnages amidst the pines and the palms, enhanced with a greek band, the cover with bottle gourd decoration, the handle with a branch form. It is signed and dated of the summer’s year “jia yin”.
Finely carved, the vase is adorned with two chimeries fitted with metal rings, and presents a various decoration of plum flowers, narcisses, pines, peonies and also a deer holding a “linzhi” in its mouth. Besides the artist’s signature with the year “xin hai”, and the inscription “the first (flowers) spring announce the happiness”, it presents the known expression “ru yi ji xiang ping an fu kui”—如意吉羊平安富貴— which can be translated by “May your good fortune be according to your wishes; peace, wealth, and honor”, completed with a “ruyi”scepter and a peonies vase.
The dates 1911 and 1914 seem most likely than 1851 and 1854, they mark the end of a dynasty with here, like new year wishes, an explosion of auspicious signs, making almost the apology of it.