Lot 3212. A very rare and superbly carved large Ding bowl, Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127); 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm.) diam., box. Estimate HK$9,000,000 - HK$12,000,000 ($1,166,154 - $1,554,872). Price Realized HK$21,400,000 ($2,772,210).© Christie's Image Ltd 2014

The deep bowl is well potted with rounded sides rising from a bevelled foot encircling the slightly recessed base to a gently everted rim. The exterior is freely carved with three sprays of daylilies and incised with fine lines to the lower body subtly defining the sides into six lobes, above a character, sa, 'thirty', incised on the angled foot. The interior is carved with three fish swimming amidst waterweeds and waves represented by light combing. It is covered overall with an even ivory-white glaze with the exception of the rim revealing the fine and white body. 

Note: Ding bowls of this large size and form are very rare, and the current bowl further distinguishes itself in having different decorations on the exterior versus interior. Compare to two similar Ding bowls of this form, of slightly smaller size (24.5 cm. diam.) and carved with daylilies on both sides, one was in the Qing Court collection, illustrated in Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (I), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, p. 63, no. 55, the other in the Ataka Collection, illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 12, Japan, 1977, p. 16, no. 8. It is also interesting to note that among those with a subtle low foot ring on the larger bowls, the exterior sides tend to be bevelled as can be seen the underside bowls of those included in the exhibition, Decorated Porcelains of Dingzhou, White Ding wares from the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2014, pp. 130-133, figs. II-81-II-83. 

Compare to another slightly taller Ding bowl (13.3 cm.) of similar form carved with daylilies on both side in the Qing Court collection, , see op. cit., Hong Kong, p. 55, no. 47. 

Christie's. THE SOUND OF JADE AND THE SHADOW OF A CHRYSANTHEMUM, Hong Kong, 28 May 2014