A rare carved Yaozhou celadon-glazed vase Song dynasty | 宋 耀州窰青釉刻花卉紋雙耳瓶

Tall vases with delicate handles were rarely made at the Yaozhou kilns in Shaanxi province. This kiln group, named during the Song dynasty (960-1279) for the administrative district in which the kilns were located, came into prominence for their striking green-glazed vessels, which were inspired by Yue celadon-glazed wares from northern Zhejiang province. The majority of their output was devoted to the manufacture of bowls and dishes, upright shapes requiring more attention when potting and firing, and taking-up valuable kiln space.

Compare a similar vase, but with a reduced neck and carved on the body with a lotus scroll, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (I), Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 93; and another, included in the Art Institute of Chicago exhibition Marvels of Celadon: The Shang Shan Tang Collection of Yaozhou Wares, Chicago, 2019, cat. no. 59, and sold in these rooms, 8th November 2017, lot 90.