Rare Cizhou 'Mandarin duck and Reishi mushroom' Painted Pillow, Jin-Song Dynasty

Black-glazed ceramic pillow, frequently-produced during the Jin dynasty. Similar piece can be found in the Guanfu Museum, where there are black-glazed pillows...

This bowl stands out for its detailed depiction of two fish amid soft spiral waves, bordered by two cranes within the bowl. The design's depth and clarity, from the lifelike portrayal of the landscape to the cranes' meticulously detailed features, render this piece exceptionally unique and rare. Such complex designs on bowls were achieved using a mold, a method initiated at the Ding kilns in the late 11th or early 12th century, enabling heightened precision. These molds, akin to those for metal vessel casting, reflect a shared design aesthetic with contemporary metal objects. Period : Northern Song-Jin dynasty(960~1234) Type : Dingyao Provenance : Acquired in late 1990s, Hongkong Dimension : 19 cm(Height) x 8cm(Diameter) Reference : 1) Sotheby's Hongkong 29 April 2022 - Important Chinese Art including Jades from the De An Tang Collection and Gardens of Pleasure - Lot 3695, Lot 3603 (Price : 1,890,000 HKD / Type : Closely related) 2) Sotheby's Hongkong 08 October 2019 Important Chinese Art - lot 3612 (Price : 3,000,000 HKD / Type : Related) 3) Sotheby's Hongkong 22 April 2021 - Monochrome III - Lot 30 (Price : 6,000,000-7,000,000 HKD / Type : Related) 4) The MET - Accession Number: 14.40.155 - Bowl with Peonies (Type : Closely Related) * Song Dynasty Ding-Yao Ware Song Dynasty Ding Yao porcelain holds a significant place in Chinese ceramic art, specifically as a type of white porcelain produced during the Song Dynasty. Produced predominantly during the mid to late Song Dynasty, Ding Yao ceramics are renowned for their delicate and intricate features. Ding Yao ceramics were primarily crafted from clay rich in white minerals and fired at high temperatures to achieve a durable and lustrous surface. One distinctive characteristic of this serene white ceramic is the presence of silver or gold-colored splashes of glaze, often created using a mineral called galena. Galena, with its lustrous appearance, was suitable for creating fine patterns and intricate decorations. These ceramics frequently feature delicate carvings, floral motifs, or subtle decorations. While commonly used for utilitarian purposes such as tableware, Ding Yao porcelain also served as a medium for artistic expression, producing many artworks. The production of Ding Yao ceramics was relatively limited, and surviving pieces are considered rare and valuable art pieces...

This jar features a carved design, which is typical of Cizhou ware. It has a creamy white and brown color scheme, and the prominent decoration of lotus flower, which is a common motif in Chinese art and culture, symbolizing purity and enlightenment. The carving technique involves coating the vessel with a layer of white slip (liquid clay), then carving away parts of it to create the design, revealing the darker clay body beneath. This technique allows for a strong contrast between the background and the carved motif. Period : Song-Yuan Dynasty Type : Jar Medium : Cizhou Ware Size : 21.5 cm(Height), 11cm(Mouth Diameter) Provenance : Acquired in 1999, Hongkong * Cizhou Ware Cizhou is the name given to a number of stonewares, grey or buff, of varying degrees of hardness, with painted, incised or carved decoration on a clay slip. These stonewares were not only made in the region of Cizhou, Hebei Province, but in several provinces of China during the Song, Yuan and Ming periods. The great centres of production were in the north of China in the provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shanxi. Cizhou wares seem to have been very popular, made for a clientèle of rich merchants, at a period when the paintings of famous...

Of broad pear shape rising from a low foot to a waisted neck and flared rim, covered overall with a lustrous brownish-black glaze with rare six bands of russet-strokes radiating in yuhuchunping shape. Period : Northern Song-Jin Dynasty Type : Yuhuchunping Medium : Black glazed with russet painted Provenance : Acquired in late 1990s from Hongkong Reference : 1) Bonhams London 12 MAY 2016 - Fine Chinese Art - Lot 30 (Price realised : £ 37,500 / Type : Closely Related) 2) Bonhams London 11 MAY 2021 - Roger Keverne Ltd Moving On - Lot 99 (Price realised : £12,750 / Type : Related) 3) Christies NEW YORK 22 MAR 2018 - The Classic Age of Chinese Ceramics - The Linyushanren Collection, Part III - Lot 521 (Price realised : 35,000 USD / Type : Closely Related) 4) Christies HONG KONG 30 MAY 2024 - Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art - Lot 2854 (Price realised : HKD 201,600 / Type : Related) * Black-glazed ceramics in Northern Song-Jin dynasty Black-glazed ceramics, also known as "black ware," were prominent during the Northern Song (960–1127) and Jin (1115–1234) dynasties. The creation of these ceramics involved the application of a rich, dark glaze, typically achieved using iron oxide. This glaze was applied over a stoneware or porcelain body, then fired at high temperatures to produce a glossy, dark finish ranging from deep brown to black. Notable techniques included the "tea-dust" glaze, which exhibited a speckled appearance, and the "oil-spot" glaze, characterized by small, iridescent spots. The high-temperature firing process was crucial for achieving the desired glaze effects and durability. The design of black-glazed ceramics often included intricate carvings, incised, or molded decorations. Common forms included bowls, vases, jars, and ceramic pillows. These pillows, used as headrests, featured detailed designs such as floral patterns, animals, and mythical creatures. An example of this is a black-glazed ceramic pillow from the Jin dynasty, which features carvings of two lions. Similar pieces can be found in the Guanfu Museum, where black-glazed pillows...

This pair of Chinese bronze mandarin duck form censors with lids are cast in a mirror image of each other, with upswept details on the wings and tails. The heads are turned to the si...

A remarkable Chinese life sized painted stucco head of a luohan, Song, Liao or Jin Dynasty, circa 11th century, China. The amazingly life-like figure depicts a luohan (sometime spelled lohan), also known as an arhat, one of the original disciples of the Buddha. The elderly man has been molded in stucco with inset glass eyes and painted with idealized, if slightly exaggerated features. The unidentified luohan sports a bald, or perhaps shaved, domed head above a bulging forehead, symbolizing his vast wisdom. The wrinkles in his furrowed brow, and creases around his eyes add to his realism. The learned man stares out wisely from deep set, heavily lidded inlaid glass eyes that catch the light. The luohan has high cheekbones and a prominent jawline. His lips full and pursed as if about to speak. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly in a faint smile, causing his gaunt cheeks to dimple charismatically. A series of dots above the upper lip indicate he may originally have sported a mustache of real hair. This life sized head with extremely realistic features fits into a very narrow time frame of Chinese Buddhist art. Perhaps the most recognized group of large, finely molded Chinese luohan...

Offering vessel from the Chinese Song Dynasty (960/1279 AD ). A beautiful "offering spiritual vessel" from the Yunnan province region in the ancient China. This rare vessel was created in red bronze during the Song Dynasty period. between 960/1279 AD. This is one of the most unusual forms of red bronze jar. A large vessel, the sides are virtually perpendicular to the base. The stepped lid design is also among the more rare types. The predominant lid design among the Yunnan offering bronzes is the "wheel" pattern, with a few lids having the lotus design. This is also one of the few bronzes displaying clear riveting of a two-part vessel body, with the original twisted elements Has a combined measures including the lid of 12.5 by 8.75 inches (31.75 x 22,23 Cm). The Song Dynasty, was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Tizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the later Zhou, ending the Five-Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao, Western Xia and Jin dynasties in northern China. After decades of armed resistance defending southern China, it was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The dynasty is divided into two periods: Northern Song and Southern Song...

Two tall ceremonial urns dating from the 12th-13th century, Southern Song dynasty. Glazed terracotta. They depict 12 traditional ritual attendant...