Dan's Papers - July 11, 2008 - Outrageous Chinese Porcelain

Imagine coming face-to-face with something from the Han Dynasty of 206 BCE to AD 221 (yes, BCE - otherwise known as "before common era" or "before Christian era"), and viewing the astounding earthenware objects, porcelains and human forms that were made amidst a total state of barbarianism in China. At the Leiber Museum, you can. And you don't have to travel into Manhattan to do it, because the museum is conveniently located on the grounds of the Leibers' East Hampton home.

Gerson and Judith Leiber have been collecting some of the finest antique Chinese porcelains for 62 years. And for the first time, they have assembled 140 of their pieces for public exhibition. The Leibers have some of the most refined artistic senses around - Gerson as a painter and Judith as one of the world's most renowned handbag and accessory designers. Their love for one another and the worlds of art began many years ago when they met in Budapest, Hungary.

Judith was born in Budapest in 1921, and was the first female apprentice and master in the Hungarian handbag guild. She survived World War II in hiding, and met her husband Gerson, an American soldier, in the streets of Budapest when the city was liberated. In 1947, towards the end of the war, the couple married and immigrated to the United States. After working for a few manufacturers in New York, Judith opened the Leiber Company. There, her inspiration for her unique style of craftsmanship came from a damaged gift.

Her friend had sent her a metal box via mail that arrived scratched and battered. Judith covered the flaws with crystals. Some 40 years later, this signature, Pandora's Box-style bag can be seen in the permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Smithsonian Institute in Washington, The Houston Museum of Fine Arts and the Los Angeles Museum of Art. And talk about monumental - each First Lady dating back to 1953 has carried a custom-made Leiber bag to the Presidential Inauguration

Just think, perhaps all those ripped and mangled online purchases could be just the inspiration you've been waiting for. Some of Judith's beautiful creations are showcased in the Leiber Museum as well.

Upon entering the Leiber "estate," ironclad gates open onto acres of beautiful garden mazes and outdoor sculptures. On the property is a Grecian brick building, built in 1995, with columns and wooden doors, that is used to house the couple's works of art and chronicle their careers. The space offers an unparalleled retrospective of their creations over the last several decades. Inside, the spot lighting illuminates each piece marvelously. Their eclectic collection of Chinese porcelain is like nothing seen before - with a majority of the pieces dating back thousands of years, up to the first few years of the 20th century. This assortment offers a wealth of knowledge into the cultural and artisan past of China, and helps to show the caliber of craftsmanship and how much those ideas, colors, shapes and forms have contributed to the art of porcelain as we know it today. All those times your parents asked you to get out the "fine China" (tea cups, plates, platters, saucers, etc.) for dinner guests, most likely the plates weren't from the T'ang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD), but it's interesting to note just how long this type of fine pottery craft has been identified with China - not to mention the fact that it's the oldest handicraft that historians have continuous knowledge of. And there's a clear progression in the compilation - from unglazed earthenware (the oldest piece is called "Watch Tower") to ornamental glazed camels, dragons, flowers, fish, birds and even four-feet-tall palace vases that were designed for royalty.

With all these delicate Chinese pieces of art, you would assume that the Leibers have traveled extensively throughout China, but that's not the case. They have acquired their entire collection in New York City. Many of the pieces were first designed with a utilitarian purpose in mind; for example, some were used during meals or for drinking and storage, others were created to be buried with the dead and still others were fundamental to the interior design of the room. But the beautiful transition and emergence of personal expression is one that's profound in the colors and shapes. Especially "The Grinning Tiger," which was designed as a pillow for the Chinese women who were not allowed to mess up their hair - not exactly your idea of a Tempur-Pedic memory cell pillow.

Here are a list of the dynasties and regions represented in the Leiber Museum: the Han Dynasty, (206 BCE - AD 221); the Six Dynasties (AD 220 - 589 AD); the Sui Dynasty (581 - 618 AD); the T'ang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD); the Sung Dynasty (960 - 1279 AD); the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368); the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644); and the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1912).

The Leiber Collection is synonomous with elegance, luxury and the emergence of civilization as we know it - do not miss out. The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. For more information, visit www.leibermuseum.org.