A RARE 'JUNYAO' LAVENDER GLAZED BOWL AND COVER SONG DYNASTY

the robustly-potted deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly incurved rim, covered overall in a pale lavender-blue glaze thinning to a buff tone at the rim and stopping short of the footring to reveal the purplish-brown body, the slightly concave cover similarly glazed

Christie's New York, 12th December 1989, lot 162.

This rare bowl and cover are in very good overall condition with the exception of a circa 1cm., diam., depression tp the outside edge of the rim of the bowl with two associated glaze pulls, a rim flake, glaze crazing, some minor firing imperfections including iron-spot glaze imperfections, pinhead-sized glaze holes and light glaze scratches.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

It is rare to find bowls with its original cover, although a slightly smaller example of similar form from the Scheinman collection was sold at Christie's New York, 20^th September 2002, lot 294. A related bowl and dish are illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1, London, 1994, pls 384 and 382 respectively. Compare also a bowl of this size in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, published in Suzanne G. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, pl. 77; another in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in A Panorama of Ceramics in the Collection of the National Palace Museum. Chun Ware, Taipei, 1999, pl. 64; and two sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 5^th November 1996, lot 722, and 29^th April 1997, lot 506.

The luminous glaze and subtlety of form of the present piece embody the gracefulness and opalescence associated with 'Jun' wares. One of the 'five famous wares of the Song dynasty', along with 'Ru', 'Guan', 'Ge' and 'Ding' wares, the heavy potting and thick glazing of 'Jun' wares were best suited to fairly simple shapes.