A ‘HENAN’ ‘OIL SPOT’ BOWL SONG DYNASTY

the shallow rounded sides rising from a knife-pared foot to a gently incurved rim, covered overall with a lustrous black-brown glaze suffused with glittering ‘oil spots’ of circular and star-shaped form in silvery iridescence, the glaze to the exterior thinning to a lighter caramel-brown tone, falling short of the foot, revealing the buff-coloured body, wood stand

Nathan V. Hammer, New York, 1962.
Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, 1962 (£195).
Collection of Roger Pilkington (1928-69), from 1962 (£250).

There is a 'C'-shaped flake of 2 by 0.5 cm to the mouthrim on the interior and 2 by 0.3 cm to the exterior, touched up but with a small flake to the filling, at around 4 o'clock. There are two hairline cracks to the rim, one of 2 cm at 7 o'clock and another of 2.5 cm at 11 o'clock.
"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."

Oil-spot bowls of shallow form and modelled with straight sides are unusual, although a slightly smaller one, from the Meiyintang collection, is illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2000, vol. 1, pl. 469, where the author notes that oil-spot bowls of similar form were excavated at the Zibo kilns in Shandong province, p. 258.