Page 77 - J.J. Lally Chinese Art CHRISTIE'S March 23 2023 NYC

830 AN EXTREMELY RARE YUE Նջ 北宋ǭ十 十一世紀ǭ
CELADON EWER, COVER AND 越窯青釉帶蓋執壺及溫盌
WARMING BASIN
FIVE DYNASTIES-NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY, Ϝ源
10TH-11TH CENTURY 藍理捷
紐約
編號
The ewer has an almost spherical body incised with four large
floral medallions alternating with pairs of foliate sprays below
scrollwork bands at the shoulder and the base of the neck, and
is flanked by the short, curved spout and arched, double-strap
handle, both with incised foliate motifs. The domed cover fits
over the neck of the ewer and is decorated with petal lappets and
further scrolls. The deep basin is decorated on the exterior with
four scroll-filled medallions and on the interior with a central
design of stylized waves. The ewer, cover and basin are covered
overall with a translucent glaze of pale olive-green tone.
Ewer: 7æ in. (19.7 cm.) high, brocade box
Basin: 6Ω in. (16.5 cm.) diam., brocade box
$120,000-150,000
PROVENANCE:
J. J. Lally & Co., New York, no. 3757.

This type of Yue ewer is exceptionally rare. Only a handful of
published examples are known, with varying decoration of foliate
roundels as seen on the present ewer, birds or parrots, or no
decoration. Even rarer, and perhaps unique, is that it has survived
together with its corresponding basin.

A Yue ewer of similar form, incised with twin parrot medallions
and foliate decoration, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, is illustrated by S. Valenstein in A Handbook of
Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1975, p. 78, no. 72a, and also on the
Musuem’s website. (Fig. 1) The Met ewer also exhibits the same
whitish kiln adhesions on the base as those seen on the present
ewer. (Fig. 2)

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