This cylindrical teapot has a curved spout and sloping shoulder. It has a rose pink ogival medallion enclosing motifs of a phoenix perched on a moss covered rockery and a bright red peony spray. The rest of the body is painted in emerald green with motifs of peony blossoms. The phoenix and peony are auspicious symbols in Peranakan culture. The phoenix is a mythical long tailed bird that symbolises beauty, grace, high virtue, the bride and the Empress. The peony symbolises spring, love, beauty and good fortune. The colour rose pink carries connotations of happiness and longevity, youthfulness and innocence, while green represents youth and spring. At the base of the piece are stylised rectangular lotus petals in pink and yellow. Such pieces of overglaze polychrome enamelled porcelain could have been ordered from the kilns at Jingdezhen in China and sent to Straits Chinese customers in Southeast Asia.
