Page 54 - Chinese Art Bonhams San Francisco December 18, 2017

878
TWO CERAMICS WITH IRON OXIDE DECORATION
Tran-Le dynasties, 14th/15th century
The first a bowl loosely painted with a classic scroll meander on the
flared rim, a floral roundel centering the well and another flower and
leaf band encircling the exterior walls, the glaze on the interior marked
with five spur marks and stopping above the foot, the recessed base
coated with brown wash; the second a plate with striping near the
unglazed rim and framing a fish swimming amid water weeds across
the floor of the well, the exterior walls also glazed and a narrow band
of brown wash applied to the recessed base within the unglazed foot
pad.
6 5/8 and 8 1/2in (17 and 21.5cm) diameter
$1,000 - 1,500
The fish dish is illustrated in James H. Brow and Anh Hoang Brow,
‘Vietnamese Ceramics: A Ten Thousand Year Continuum,’ Arts of Asia,
March-April 2004, p. 91, no. 25.
878 For similar iron oxide designs and shapes from the 14th to 15th
century, see John Stevenson and John Guy, Vietnamese Ceramics: A
Separate Tradition, 1997, p. 284-285, nos. 204-206.

879
A SMALL LOTUS-PETAL DISH WITH INCISED DECORATION
Ly dynasty, 11th-13th century
Carefully molded with walls shaped as extruding lotus petal covered
with a celadon-tinged glaze, the tiny raised pearls along the lip
showing traces of iron wash that also color a row of impressed pearls
framing a leaf scroll roundel incised across the unglazed floor, the
deeply recessed base and foot also left unglazed.
4 1/8 (1.5cm) diameter
$1,000 - 1,500
For small dishes of similar form, see John Stevenson and John Guy,
Vietnamese Ceramics: A Separate Tradition, 1997, pP. 192-194, nos.
45-48; and their possible use as offering trays discussed by John
Stevenson on pp. 117-118.

880
AN OLIVE GREEN GLAZED BOWL WITH CARVED AND
879 COMBED DECORATION
Tran dynasty, 13th/14th century
The deep well carved and combed with a diffuse bird and peony flower
pattern surrounding further comb and scrape marks at the center
of the well, the exterior walls also incised with radiating lines above
the foot ring, the glaze applied everywhere except the foot pad and
recessed base.
7 1/4in (18.5cm) diameter
$1,000 - 1,500

Published
James H. Brow and Anh Hoang Brow, ‘Vietnamese Ceramics: A Ten
Thousand Year Continuum,’ Arts of Asia, March-April 2004, p. 83, no.
4.

The diffuse pattern on this bowl is difficult to read, further away from
Longquan and qingbai sources. For a bowl of similar form and diffuse
decoration, associated with the Tongan kilns of Fujian, ascribed to the
13th century, see the Southeast Asian Ceramics Society exhibition,
Chinese Celadons And Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia,
Singapore, 1979, pp. 156-157, no. 78, pls. 66 & 67. For related bowls
with combed and carved decoration from the Than Hoa kilns, see
Philippe Truong, The Elephant and the Lotus: Vietnamese Ceramics in
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, New York, 2007, pp. 51-52, nos. 19
and 20 (as Tran dynasty, 13th/14th century).
880

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