can anyone tell me anything about this bowl please ?

[ruby]

Hello all,
        This bowl has been in our family from around 1920 , I have searched the net for some info but to no avail.
        it is in bad condition I know , it is very heavy and large , I cannot see any markings ... I would like to know if anyone has any ideas
        as to how old it is and where it came from ..and if it is worth anything .

[waywardangler]

Is this pottery or manmade such as Syrocowood?

[ruby]

thanks for your response, it is pottery.

[cogar]

That just hasta to be a “commemorative” bowl, …. but to commemorate “what” is the question.

5 stars, 9 coins/medallions, striped banner, tree limbs w/leaves/blossoms, a hand holding a rod, shaft or arrow, what looks to be a helmeted head, etc.

[waywardangler]

It may be for the opening of the Gold Post Bridge.  

The "stars" are in the pond or on land so I so not think they are stars but may depict something else. The coiled thing on the left may be a snake. The "coins" are hard to tell what they depict as the pics do not enlarge well. I think some clearer, larger pics are in order that would show the detail of the bowl's images.

[KC]

Is my vision getting extra bad or can you see these close enough waywardangler?

A clearer closeup will helps loads!  Thanks in advance!

[ruby]

thanks all , hope these pictures are better , also to mention that it appears that everything is facing one way, the birds faces,snake and two of his
fingers  and looks like he is to strike all in the same direction , would this mean anything ?

[mariok54]

Much clearer, thanks, but I'm  no nearer identifying it. We have a man, with either baggy pants or some wrap, running, or being startled by that snake, holding either a baton or scroll, wearing a headdress topped with a dragon

A very interesting piece!

[waywardangler]

Possibly he was startled by the snake (it is a snake - I just guessed before!) and is going to whack it with that stick/baton. There are some neat images on those "coins" such as a bird of some type and a dragon. Maybe those are lotus flowers that are in gold. I do not think it is a commemorative piece but a very well done pottery bowl with Chinese imagery.

[KC]

The bird resembles what we know as a Phoenix, but in Chinese symbolism it is a feng huang....(yen and yang).

It usually fights a snake in symbolism.

[cogar]

Ah so, now I can see the person whose hand is hold that "rod".

And I was thinking the same thing about the medallion, KC, ...... a Phoenix rising up from the flames underneath.

[ruby]

thank you all for your input....il keep searching !