Lot 1323. A white-glazed compressed pear-shaped jar and cover, Sui dynasty (581-618); 15.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 945,000 (Estimate HKD 300,000 – HKD 500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong in 1999

Note: The compressed globular body is surmounted by a stepped neck rising to the flared rim, all covered in a white glaze stopping short above the spreading foot. The domed cover is surmounted by a bud-form finial and covered in a similar glaze. Compare to a very similar but slightly smaller example, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2022, lot 2909.

Lot 1324. A sancai-glazed tripod 'beast leg' censer and cover, Tang dynasty (618-907); 23 cm wide, Japanese double wood boxes. Price realised HKD 945,000 (Estimate HKD 500,000 – HKD 800,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Japanese Collection, prior to 1995
Sold at Christie's New York, 26 March 2003, lot 196
Eskenazi, London
The Ten-views Lingbi Rock Retreat Collection, purchased from Eskenazi, London, no. EK152

Literature: Chinese Ceramics: Sancai, Vol 3, Tokyo, 1995, no. 44

Note: Compare the related sancai splash-glazed tripod jar and cover from the Yokogawa Collection, now in the Tokyo National Museum, published in Illustrated Catalogues of Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics I, 1988, p. 61, no. 235. On the present censer the glaze splashes are smaller and form a denser pattern, and the legs are surmounted by lion masks.

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C103a68 is consistent with the dating of this lot.

Lot 1326. A rare white-rimmed 'oil spot' tea bowl, Northern Song-Jin dynasty, 12th-13th century; 10.8 cm diam. Price realised HKD 819,000 (Estimate HKD 300,000 – HKD 500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong in 1996

Note: Compare to two bowls of this kind, one in the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka and the other one classified as Important Cultural Property, in the Fujita Art Museum Osaka, illustrated by Asahi Shimbun, Song Ceramics, Tokyo, 1999, pp. 120-121, no. 82-83.

The result of Oxford thermoluminescence test no. P123k88 (10 August 2023) is consistent with the dating of this lot.

Lot 1330. A rare white-rimmed black-glazed washer, Northern Song-Jin dynasty, 12th-13th century; 12.7 cm diam, Japanese wood box. Price realised HKD 567,000 (Estimate HKD 200,000 – HKD 300,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 4 April 2017, lot 31

Lot 1331. A Longquan celadon glazed tripod censer, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279); 9 cm diam, Japanese wood box. Price realised HKD 478,800 (Estimate HKD 300,000 – HKD 500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Inaba Masakatsu (1597-1634), according to the inscription on the cover
Nakanoin Michishige (1631-1710)

Note: With a silver cover made by Nakagawa Joeki 10h (according to the inscription on the wood box) and the handwritten note by Nakanoin Michishige

Lot 1332. A very rare Longquan celadon Guan-type vase, Song dynasty (960-1279); 26.7 cm high, Japanese wood box. Price realised HKD 4,032,000 (Estimate HKD 1,800,000 – HKD 2,200,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's New York, 2 June 1993, lot 295

Note: The broad globular body surmounted by a tall nearly cylindrical neck with widely flaring angled everted rim, raised on a tall ring foot, covered overall on the interior and exterior with a thick opaque greyish-green glaze falling precisely short of the foot rim, the underside similarly glazed leaving the unglazed neatly finished foot rim burnt orange in the firing and revealing the grey body.

A vase of similar form excavated from one of the kiln sites at Dayao, Longquan, which is characterised as the site yielding the most mature style of Longquan celadon dating from the late Southern Song dynasty, is illustrated in Longquan Qingci Yanjiu, Beijing,1989, pl.23, fig. 3, and p. 56, fig. 10(10).

Lot 1333. A Qingbai meiping, Song dynasty (960-1279); 27.8 cm high, Japanese wood box. Price realised HKD 756,000 (Estimate HKD 200,000 – HKD 300,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Literature: Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 10, Tokyo, 1954, no. 88

Lot 1339. Property from the Yidetang Collection. A purple-glazed Jun tripod censer, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127); 7 cm high. Price realised HKD 3,528,000 (Estimate HKD 1,200,000 – HKD 2.500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Sold at Christie’s London, 8 June 1987, lot 188
Muwen Tang Collection
Sold at Sotheby’s London, 12 November 2003, lot 49

Exhibited: Min Chiu Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 100
Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, p.120, no. 42

Note: During the Song dynasty, the practice of incense burning transformed from a functional level to a spiritual quest for scholars, this spurred further development and refinement in the production of censers.

Compare with similar examples: a smaller one covered with moon-white glaze in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Jun Ware, Beijing, 2016, pp.74, pl.29; another is in the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, included in Chugoku toji zenshu, vol.12, Kyoto, 1983, pl.18; and another illustrated in John Ayers, The Baur Collection Geneva. Chinese Ceramics, Geneva, 1968, vol. 1, pl. A 37.

Lot 1301. A Jun purple-glazed lotus-bud form water pot, Song-Yuan dynasty (960-1368); 11 cm high. Price realised HKD 126,000 (Estimate HKD 150,000 – HKD 250,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Ludwig Bretschneider (1909-1987), Munich
Collection of Franz Hart (1910-1996), acquired in 1959
Thence by descent to Mrs Irene Hart

Lot 1334. A Longquan celadon 'immortal' censer, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368); 22.5 cm high. Price realised HKD 324,600 (Estimate HKD 100,000 – HKD 150,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Note: Compare to a similar Ming Dynasty Longquan figure in the British Museum collection, depicting Bodhisattva Puxian riding a caparisoned elephant , illustrated by Jessica Harrison-Hall, Catalogue of Late Yuan and Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p.501, pl. 16:97.

Lot 1336. A Longquan celadon biscuit reserved and carved barbed-rim charger, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368); 32.5 cm diam. Price realised HKD 327,600 (Estimate HKD 150,000 – HKD 250,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Spink & Son, London, 1988
T. T. Tsui Collection

Exhibited: Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong

Lot 1335. A Longquan celadon biscuit reserved and carved 'fish pond' basin, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), 15th century; 31 cm diam. Price realised HKD 189,000 (Estimate HKD 150,000 – HKD 250,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 April 1997, lot 514
T. T. Tsui Collection

Exhibited: Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 29 November 2024