A 'Jian' 'hare's-fur' teabowl Southern Song Dynasty

of conical form with deep sides, covered overall in a lustrous black glaze encircled by a russet band at the rim, the exterior similarly decorated, the glaze falling short of the foot to reveal the reddish-brown body

There is a fine network of crackles throughout the glaze. There is a small ring of surface wear or tiny scratches around the interior well. The exterior has two vertical glaze scratches measuring 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch long. There are a few pinpricks throughout the surface, and two pinholes on the exterior. This cup is in overall good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although bowls of this type were made in large quantities by the Jianyang kilns in Fujian province, the present bowl is exceptional for its large size and perfectly balanced conical shape. It displays all the major characteristics of wares of this type in an exemplary fashion: the delicate and even russet-brown striations reminiscent of hare's fur, the rich glaze forming a thick wall around the body and pooling towards the foot, and the faint groove below the rim for ease of secure gripping and slow drinking. From literature it is known that the very best quality 'Jian' bowls were carefully selected as tribute from Fujian to the court. 'Jian' teabowls were renowned for their unique suitability for tea drinking as the fine foam of the whisked powdered tea contrasted attractively against the dark glaze of the vessel. The thickness of the glaze helped keep the beverage warm and protected the hands of the drinker against scalding.

Compare a smaller bowl in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (II), Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 206; one in the Capital Museum, Beijing, published in the Shoudu Bowuguan cang ci xuan, Beijing, 1991, pl. 45; and a third example in the Arthur M. Sackler Museum included in the exhibition Hare's Fur, Tortoiseshell and Partridge Feathers, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, Mass., 1996, cat.no. 79.

A smaller 'Jian' bowl was sold in our London rooms, 10th November 2004, lot 523; and another was sold in these rooms, 20th March 2002, lot 112.