A CARVED 'CIZHOU' 'PEONY' BOWL LATE NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY, 12TH CENTURY

the widely potted shallow bowl supported on a short foot, applied overall with a creamy-white slip, the interior freely carved to the body with a large peony surrounded by serrated leaves, all under a transparent glaze pooling irregularly towards the unglazed foot revealing the pale gray stoneware; together with a small incised ding bowl, Northern Song dynasty, the widely flared body freely incised to the interior with an array of peony blossoms, covered overall with a glaze of grayish-white color pooling to a darker color on the rim and short foot, the base unglazed to reveal the pale body burnt orange in the firing (2)

'Cizhou' bowl: Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Bernat.
Sotheby's New York, 7th November 1980, lot 123.

cizhou bowl: there are spur-marks on the interior well, which have sunk slightly in the firing resulting in slightly firing flaws in the marks, later inpainted. There is a 1 1/4 inch restored rim chip. The reverse with an inpainted 3/8 inch diameter flake. Several retouched rim chips to the underside of the exterior rim. ding bowl: considerable wear around the rim commensurate with age and the central well. A very shallow 1/8 inch rim chip. Misfired to a gray-green color. In good overall 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.

A similarly carved Cizhou 'peony' bowl of the same size formerly in the Mathias Komor collection and the Thomas Barlow Walker Collection of Antiquities and Oriental Art, was later sold in these rooms, 26th-28th September 1972, lot 705. It was subsequently sold at Christie's New York, 30th March 2005, lot 286.