A 'LONGQUAN' CELADON 'ICE'-CRACKLED CONICAL BOWL SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY

well potted with shallow conical sides rising from a short foot to a flared rim, covered overall save for the footring with a luminous pale bluish-green glaze suffused with a dense network of 'ice'-crackles throughout pooling around the outer mouthrim and the extremities on the interior, the unglazed footring burnt brownish-orange in the firing

Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marvin Gordon, San Francisco.
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 1990.
Collection of Dr. and Mrs. James York, Florida.

The Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Marvin L. Gordon, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 2009, cat. no. 24.

The overall condition is very good, except for a few occasional burst bubbles, including a minute one to the mouthrim and another to the exterior. The footring has a few flakes to the unglazed footring (the longest one of approx. 1.8 cm). The actual colour is slightly deeper than the catalogue illustration.
"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."

The pronounced shape of this Longquan bowl, springing with precision from its neatly finished circular foot, and the quality of its luminous bluish-green glaze, highlighted by the resonant network of 'ice'-crackles, ranks it amongst the finest examples in private hands. For a bowl of comparable quality in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelain of the Song Dynasty II, Hong Kong, 1996, p. 152, no. 137.

Compare also a closely related example in the Percival David collection, illustrated in the Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, rev. ed. 1997, p. 29, no. 231. For a Longquan celadon conical bowl of comparable quality sold at auction, see the example sold in our New York rooms, 16th/17th September 2014, lot 112.