Page 62 - Chinese and Asian Ceramics from an Indonesian Collection

Chapter 4. Glazed Ceramics in the Musi River

Figure 41. Ewer, decorated with grape vine appliqué around
central body on impressed background of square and
vertical lines on shoulder, height 9.8 cm, probably
early Southern Song to Yuan Dynasties, Jianxi
Province, Jizhou kilns, C12–C14, from the Musi River,
Sungai Rebo site. Catalogue No. K1652.

Figure 43. Ewer, height 19.4, probably Song Dynasty, Fujian
Province, Cizao kilns, C10–C12, from the Musi River,
Pusri site. Catalogue No. K1708.

Guan wares (C12–C14)
Guan (Kuan, Ge) ware was produced in or near Hangzhou
soon after establishment of the Southern Song capital
in that city around 1127. It remained in production up
to at least 1400 or later. The best Guan ware usually had
Figure 42. Tripod incense burner, height 5.3 cm, Southern a crackled grey-blue glaze on a thin body, followed by a
Song to Yuan, Jianxi Province, perhaps Jizhou kiln. greener glaze with a denser crackle, then finally almost a
C12–C14, from the Musi River. Catalogue No. K969. pale grey brown with a very dark close crackle on a dark
grey body. Mostly the ware comprised bowls and dishes,
often with lobed or indented rims. Imitations of this ware
Qingbai wares were among the most abundant began immediately at many southern kilns producing
in the Musi. These include: Some vessels, jars and Longquan celadon and other wares. They continue to
figurines decorated with iron-brown splashes or spots the present day and are difficult to discern. While it is
that was common in export ware (K815, K1147, K1243, unlikely that Guan ware from the original kilns was in
K1301, K1596, K2115, K2123); A number of moulded the Musi several items collected there were indeed very
vases or bottles (Figure 37), some probably intended similar to original Guan ware.
as funeral ware (K702, K770, K946, K959, K1146, Several examples of Guan–type ware were found in
K1293, K1563, K1800, K2378); ewers (K925, K1477, the Musi, all with a grey-blue glaze with fine pale to broad
K1517, K1874, K2261); Yuan moon shaped ewer with dark crackle. These were a water dropper (K852), saucer
moulded motif (K1519); moulded water dropper in form of eight-petalled flower (Figure 40), small shallow
(K1703); stem cup (K1795); lidded boxes (Figure bowl with scalloped rim (K1853, K1867), bowl with simple
38) including K1516–7, K1873, K1895, K1962; Yuan rim (K1976), small jars (K1868, K1939, K2102) and base
bowl with impressed floral motif (K1192, K1475); of a bowl (K2016).
plain bowls (K895, K1499, K1864, K1914, K1974,
K2027, K2092, K2323, K2501); foliated bowls (K1742, Black and dark brown wares (C10–C15)
K2163); decorated bowls (K2034); figurines (Figure Thick, brownish-black iron glazed utilitarian ware used
39), comprising K831–2, K953, K1248, K1249, K1270, by all classes of society in China was produced from the
K1332, K1785, K2118, K2424; and decorated jars Late-Tang to the early-Yuan Dynasties. During both the
(K1410, K1956, K2019, K2044) Northern and Southern Song periods more than a third
of all kilns produced some form of brownish–black glazed

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