Lot 406. A Rare 'Junyao' Lavender Glazed Bowl and Cover, Song Dynasty (960-1279);  11cm., 4 3/8 in. Estimate 18,000—22,000 GBP. Lot Sold 22,500 GBP. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2008

the robustly-potted deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly incurved rim, covered overall in a pale lavender-blue glaze thinning to a buff tone at the rim and stopping short of the footring to reveal the purplish-brown body, the slightly concave cover similarly glazed. the bowl.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 12th December 1989, lot 162.

Note: It is rare to find bowls with its original cover, although a slightly smaller example of similar form from the Scheinman collection was sold at Christie's New York, 20^th September 2002, lot 294. A related bowl and dish are illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1, London, 1994, pls 384 and 382 respectively. Compare also a bowl of this size in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, published in Suzanne G. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, pl. 77; another in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in A Panorama of Ceramics in the Collection of the National Palace Museum. Chun Ware, Taipei, 1999, pl. 64; and two sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 5^th November 1996, lot 722, and 29^th April 1997, lot 506.

The luminous glaze and subtlety of form of the present piece embody the gracefulness and opalescence associated with 'Jun' wares. One of the 'five famous wares of the Song dynasty', along with 'Ru', 'Guan', 'Ge' and 'Ding' wares, the heavy potting and thick glazing of 'Jun' wares were best suited to fairly simple shapes.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art. 05 Nov 08. London