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Subject:Re: Song Style Tea Bowl
Posted By: Madria Sun, Jun 15, 2025
Dear Ron,
I am not an expert on Song ceramics. Therefore, I will simply describe what I have noticed. Stylistically, the tea bowl (?) resembles Jizhou ware, which was produced in southern China in Jiangxi Province from the Southern Song period to the Yuan period. Products from there were known for their imaginative designs and innovative techniques. However, I am hesitant to classify the piece as an original from these periods.
First of all, the great regularity of the glaze on the inside is striking. Song scholars generally appreciated the irregularity that made each piece unique due to the uncontrollable firing process. The spots are reminiscent of the popular ‘tortoise shell’ pattern, but are in an unusually light colour, almost alabaster. They are also very regular, both in size and distribution. In addition, they are unusually large. I am more familiar with gradient patterns than spots like these on authentic pieces. The glaze here is very thick and seems to have been very pasty, so that little colour could run in the glaze.
I also find the colour of the shard, with yellow, red and black, unusual. However, this may be because I have not seen many originals with this colour combination. That does not necessarily mean that there are none, but the original examples I have seen in museum collections do not show this colour tone either – at most, they show similar ones. However, it is very rare for the colour of the shard to be so uneven. With regard to the colour and shape, it would be useful to consult an expert. If you find out anything in this regard, as a curious researcher, I would be very pleased if you could share your findings with us here. To find out whether your piece is really old, I recommend looking for comparative examples in museums and renowned auction houses. Here are some links I found to kick off your research.
Regardless of whether the bowl is old or new, it is very beautiful and well made and worth collecting and displaying.
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/23488/lot/9301/a-jizhou-ware-tea-bowl-southern-song-dynasty/
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/important-chinese-art-2/a-jizhou-tortoiseshell-bowl-southern-song-dynasty
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O152695/teabowl-unknown/
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_PDF-305
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1938-0412-44
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1973-0726-276
Please keep us posted. With kind regards
Madria
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