Collecting Chinese Mud Men: Information and Illustrations
By Jim Mayfield
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Collecting Chinese Mud Men - Jim Mayfield
Copyright ©2013 Jim Mayfield
All Rights Reserved
First Edition
ISBN: 9781626757950
Contents
Foreword
A Collector's Viewpoint
Introduction
What are mud men?
Plate 1: Mud Man Size Comparison
Contrasting Styles
Plate 2
Availability
Markings, Labeling and Dating
Mud Man Attire
Objects and Symbolism
Locating, Understanding and Assessing Damage
Thoughts on and a Framework for Assessing Condition
Standards for Grading Mud Men
Misrepresentation or Fake?
Plate 3
Illustrations
Examples of Exceptional Figures
Plates 4-6
Eight Immortals
Plate 7
Markings Found on Figures
Plates 8-14
Fishermen
Plates 15-17
Officials and Scholars
Plate 18
Higher Social Status
Plate 19
Figures Seated on a Flat Surface
Plate 20
Hats
Plates 21-23
Hair Styles
Plates 24-27
Ornamental Patch
Plate 28
Hand Detail
Plate 29
Feet and Footwear
Plate 30
Objects and Symbolism
Plates 31-43
Understanding and Evaluating Damage and Repair
Plates 44-48
Jars and Baskets
Plate 49
Carriers
Plates 50-52
Pairs
Plates 53-54
Mud Women
Plate 55
Unique Pieces
Plates 56-58
Newer Figures
Plate 59
Figures Misidentified by Seller
Plate 60
Glaze Colors
Plate 61
The Back Gallery
Plate 62
Endpiece
Suggested Reading
Foreword
A Collector's Viewpoint
I am not a scholar nor an expert in pottery or Chinese art history. I am a collector...of many things. One collection developed over many years, and a passion, is mud men from China. I have seen and acquired a great many; my collection which formed the basis for this book is, I believe, large by general standards. I have seen the evolution of mud men from rather insignificant bric-a-brac to much sought after collectibles; I have seen the prices for these clay figures rise from pennies each to many dollars; and I have seen inaccuracies, mislabeling, and misinformation detract from this hobby. So, it seems the right time to offer some of my thoughts to old and new collectors alike. My views may not be shared by everyone. I have tried to present some new, maybe controversial, but accurate information. But if nothing else, this compilation of information and color illustrations offers facts and ideas you might want to know as a mud man enthusiast, and hopefully it will be helpful to you, a fellow collector. All the figures shown are from my collection. The purpose, thoughts and scope of this book are first and foremost — of a collector, by a collector, for a collector.
Jim Mayfield
April 2013
Introduction
In late 2011, when my accumulation of mud men (to be accurate, mud people
since mud women also exist) was approaching 200 pieces, after almost 50 years of collecting, my family suggested that my collection
was more like a hoard
and that I should stop. It was suggested that I certainly did not need any more, and perhaps I should consider parting with a few. So I decided to look at my collection with the thought of possibly thinning out
some, and I began an item by item inventory to see what and who I had. But as I examined each figure, I became even more intrigued by the variety, history, and personalities represented. Gradually, the prospect of a thinning process turned into an adding process with renewed vigor. I have never sold a figure, and the collection continues to grow.
As I surveyed my collection, I realized that in addition to the usual peasants, officials, and fisherman, I had acquired a number of immortals and other Chinese folklore characters. All these figures are generically known as mud men
from the Chinese word niren
meaning figures made from clay. I discovered, again, that these miniatures were more than just lumps of molded clay, mud
in the vernacular, a term that purists do not particularly appreciate. They were not just fisherman
or peasants
or higher society folk — there was a wide assortment of characters, including immortals, each seemingly with a story of its own to tell. There seemed to be an endless variety of colors, poses/positions, objects, sizes, and personalities with a wide array of symbolism attached to these wonderful but simple figures. As I attempted to better document my collection, I realized there was little in the way of simple, descriptive information available on these figures. Maybe the mud people story needed to be told in detail....maybe an informative guide to collecting, buying, and selling with accompanying illustration would be helpful, particularly for the novice collector. So I set out to do just that.
My original plan was to compile an illustrated guide to show and analyze all the known