Shòutáo hú (寿桃壶) liquor pitcher, known as the “surprise pitcher,” China, 19th century Shaped like a longevity peach, this white porcelain piece is glazed in blue with an underglaze design of peonies and a “shou” character beneath the spout; it operates using a reverse-fill mechanism. Beneath the base is an apocryphal four-character Kangxi mark in kaishu script. Height: 15 cm