Featured Famille rose teapot

I picked this up about six months ago. 19th C. famille rose I think. I love the little characters. They tell a story I believe and I would like to find out what it is. My imagination says the man in the bubble has kidnapped a girl. A hero sets off to rescue her with special shoes, aided by prayers and blessings of the elders and returns by boat. Love the evil looking character in the bubble and the guy walking across water on lily pad shoes.
No lid sadly. I have looked them up and they seem to be unique to each pot.

 

The man in the magic shoes has a pointy thing to pop the bubble!

 

"You'll never defeat me Lilly pad shoe man. Wa hahaha haaaaaargh"

 

Just read that there are lots of fake ones of these knocking about.

It only cost £1.50 so I'm not overly concerned.

 

This is a genuine antique, marked for Tongzhi and probably of the late Tongzhi period. The story is that of Madam White Snake and her "sister" the green snake, going to rescue the former's husband who has been imprisoned by the monk Fahai in his mountainous temple. The snakes summon the help of sea creatures (you will see a clam) and cause a flood. Perhaps it won't sound so hilarious if you read the story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_of_the_White_Snake. The lily pad shoe guy flying on multicoloured clouds is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezha. Perhaps he went to help, although he's not really part of the story. He also ends up imprisoned in a pagoda, which is probably why there are so many pagodas in China 1.50 very well spent, if only for the laughs!

 

Seems y'oughta be able to monetize an imagination that rich! Yer inna wrong business, cowboy!

 

Verdad!

 

Brilliant. Thanks for the story behind it. It gives it more value.

Value to me that is. Not going to sell this one as I really like it.

 

Smoked too much stuff when I was younger.

 

A cover should not be too difficult to find. Just a flat one with simple knop, and probably just a butterfly or two to match the one on the body

 

Last time I looked people were asking silly prices. I will persevere until I find another bargain thanks.

 

Here's a similar teapot, this time with a scholar on a qilin proudly going home to his mum after being awarded top scholar in the country. Much slower mode of transport than flying through the clouds on flaming wheels. The cover has a simple peach knop and as for the price...
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/147849517_chinese-fencai-teapot-19th-century

 

Ye Gods an' little fishhooks!

 

19th century transport in China was so efficient. Dont know where they get their prices from. I xsn only assume some people don't shop around and pay it. Same sort of people who don't ask the price of a hotel room before booking I guess. It is nice though...