A CARVED 'YAOZHOU' 'LOTUS' DISH NORTHERN SONG / JIN DYNASTY |

sturdily potted with a slightly concave interior, with an upturned rim rising from slanted sides above a low foot, finely and freely carved to the center with a lotus bloom and large leaf borne on scrolling stems, covered overall in a bright celadon glaze of olive-green tone the rim and pooling to deeper shades around the foot, the knife-pared footring left unglazed 

The rim has a restored chip measuring approx. 2.7 cm wide, with associated overspray. There is a rim crack extending diagonally into the network of glaze cracks and a crescent-shaped crack to the base which does not appear to go through the body. The dish overall with surface wear and firing imperfections, including glaze cracks, some of which are discolored.
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.

Dishes carved with this lyrical design are held in important museums and private collections worldwide; one in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, is illustrated in Zhongguo taoci quanji [The complete works of Chinese ceramics], vol. 7, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 123; two in the Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, are published in the Illustrated Catalogues of Tokyo National Museum. Chinese Ceramics I, Tokyo, 1988, pls 470 and 471; another in the Meiyintang Collection, is illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1, London, 1994, pl. 414; and a further example was sold in our London rooms, 10th November 2004, lot 542.