Page 226 - Chinese pottery and porcelain : an account of the potter's art in China from primitive times to the present day

114 Chinese Pottery and Porcelain

the saucers or stands were often used separately as bulb bowls,
like the vessels of similar shape which are found in celadon and
other wares. Vases of the fine Chiin ware are occasionally seen.

There is a choice example in the Pierpont Morgan Collection, a
small ovoid vase with flat base ; and in the same collection is a
low beaker-shaped vase with flaring neck and globular body strength-

ened with four square ribs in imitation of a bronze.^ No numbers
have appeared so far on any of these vases, nor, as far as I am

aware, on any Sung Chiin wares except the flower pots and saucers.
I have, however, seen dishes on which a number has been sub-
sequently cut, and numbers occur on later copies of the Chiin types

described below.

The numerals engraved under the base of the flower pots,
saucers, and bulb bowls in the finer Chiin wares range from
1-10. Their significance has given rise to some debate, but the
most reasonable theory seems to be that they indicate the sizes
of the different forms, No. 1 being the largest, thougli an extra
large bulb bowl^ in the Eumorfopoulos Collection has the additional
mark J:z ta (great). This is the v4ew which, I believe, is usually
accepted in China, and Mr. Eumorfopoulos, who has an exceptional
series of these wares, has applied the test to all he has seen, and
has found the size theory to hold good in all but a few cases, for

which an explanation may yet be found. ^ Another suggestion,

supported by some American collectors of note, such as Mr. Freer
and Mr. Peters, is that the numbers refer to the Imperial kilns,
and that the pieces so marked are Imperial wares. Whether the

former theory will continue to stand the test of application to

every fresh specimen remains to be seen. With regard to the
latter, I shall give reasons presently for doubting that any special
Imperial patronage was extended to this kind of ware ; ar>d what-

ever truth there may be in this explanation of the numbers, it is

highly improbable that any serious evidence can ever be produced

to sustain it.

It would be possible to construct a formidable list of the

colours which appear in the Chiin glazes, though many of the

^ See Hamilton Bell, " ' Imperial ' Sung Pottery," Art in America, July, 1913,
p. 182. The Chinese numerals are given on p. 211,

B- Cat. B. F. A., 1910, 42.
3 There is an obvious analogy in the "size 3" and "S 2," etc., incised under the

Derby porcelain figures.