A RARE CARVED YAOZHOU CELADON 'FLORAL' JAR NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY |

of tall ovoid form, set with a pair of strap handles below a splayed mouth rim, deftly carved with undulating floral sprays, covered overall in an olive-green glaze suffused with crackles, the glaze stopping irregularly above the splayed foot

Collection of Simon Kwan.
Sotheby's London, 12th November 2003, lot 83.

Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 79.

The outcome of TL testing is consistent with the dating of this lot. The jar is in very good condition with only minor glaze firing imperfections and surface wear.
"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."

Yaozhou kilns mostly manufacture dishes and bowls as these two types were labour-efficient to produce in large quantities and could easily be stacked. The kilns produced very few upright shapes otherwise, which are much more time-consuming to form and to decorate, take up much valuable kiln space, and are more likely to fail in the firing. The present jar is one of these rare examples.

A related jar similarly decorated with carved floral design, but lacking the two handles and the rim flange, in the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, was included in the exhibition The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, 1997, cat. no. 74. Compare also a vase of related form in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (II), Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 94.