Lot 609. A Longquan celadon zhadou, Song dynasty (960-1279);  9.4 cm., 3 5/8  in. Estimate 180,000 — 250,000 HKD  (21,601 - 30,002 EUR). Lot sold 375,000 HKD (43,860 EUR). Photo Sotheby's. 

the compressed bulbous body rising from a slightly tapered foot to a wide neck flaring at the rim, covered overall in an attractive pale sea-green glaze stopping at the footring revealing the buff-coloured body burnt orange in the firing.

Note: Early Longquan celadons of this form are very rare, conventionally known as zhadou (leys jar) or xianglu (incense burner). The coherence of the potting, with the dynamic wide-flaring mouth, is remarkable, and the glaze retains the pale bluish tints in the celadon that are characteristic of Southern Song examples. A similar example from the collection of Edward T. Chow, was sold in these rooms, 16th December 1980, lot 298; and another was sold in our New York rooms, 19th and 20th March 2013, lot 34. 

Another published example of this form in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum is illustrated in Longquan Celadon of China, Hangzhou, 1998, pl. 70. Another discovered among a group of Song ceramics excavated at Lueyang, Shaanxi province, is illustrated in Wenwu, 1976, no. 11, pl. 6, fig. 5; and a third is included in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1987, pl. 474. Fragments of smaller zhadou recovered from kiln sites at Dayao, Longquan county, Zhejiang province, are illustrated in Longquan qingci yanjiu, Beijing, 1989, pl. 6, fig. 5, with a line drawing, p. 57, fig. 11 (2). The latter examples appear to have much greener and slightly inferior crackled glazes.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art. Hong Kong, 01 Jun 2015, 03:15 PM