Bulb bowl numbered seven. Stoneware body covered in blue and purple glazes with olive-green on base. Height: 70 mm. Diameter: 190 mm. Numbered or Official Jun ware 官鈞窯. Juntai, Yuxian, Henan province 河南省, 禹縣, 鈞台. Ming dynasty, about AD 1368–1435. On loan from Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art. PDF B696. British Museum © The Trustees of the British Museum

Jun stoneware flower-pot-stand with a band of nail-head bosses around the rim and three cloud-shaped feet. The flower-pot-stand has a pale grey body and blue glaze on the interior, reddish-purple glaze on the interior, and olive green glaze on the base. There are sixteen uneven spur marks and an incised character on the base.

This bulb bowl has studs around the rim and cloud-shaped feet. Its base has a ring of uneven spur marks and the Chinese character 七 (qi ‘seven) incised in the base before firing. It has been suggested that the numbers refer to sizes, with one the largest and ten the smallest size, which would help to match flower pots and stands. Unlike earlier Jun wares, which are often highlighted with contrasting purple splashes, these later wares feature blue or purple opalescent glazes without splashes of contrasting colours. Furthermore in contrast to earlier Jun wares, these numbered flower vessels are shaped by moulding. 

Previous owner/ex-collection George Eumorfopoulos