A magnificent and superbly carved large Ding ‘Fish’ bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). Estimate HK$15,000,000-20,000,000 ($2,000,000-2,600,000). Unsold. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The unusually large bowl is well-potted with rounded sides. The exterior with horizontal flutes, radiating around the bowl, moulded to imitate lotus petals that are arranged into three registers. The upper register with overlapping petals directly under a plain moulded and below the straight mouth rim. Raised on a low foot ring. The interior is freely carved with a fish swimming in water, denoted by wavy combed effects, and amidst waterweeds. The bowl is covered overall with an even ivorywhite glaze with the exception of the mouth rim. 12Æ in. (32.4 cm.) diam., box

Notes: Ding bowls of this large size and form are very rare, and the present bowl appears to be one of the largest of this type to be offered at auction. Three other known Ding bowls of almost the same size and decorative design on the interior and exterior are known. The first is illustrated by R. L. Hobson in The Eumorfopoulos Collection, vol. II, 1926, pl. XXVII, no. C 133, 31.5 cm. diam., (fig. 1). The second is illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World’s Great Collections, Vol. 5, The British Museum, Kodansha Series, 1981, no. 56, catalogued as 16.7 cm. high (the present bowl is 16.5 cm. high). The third was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 31 October 1995, lot 343, measuring 33 cm. diam.

fig. 1

A slightly smaller bowl (28.1 cm. diam.) with a plain exterior but same fish motif on the interior is in the National Palace Museum Collection, illustrated in Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Ting Ware White Porcelain, Taipei, 1987, pl. 31. Compare with a similar bowl (31.5 cm. diam.) with moulded lotus petals on the exterior but incised with a single flowering lotus spray on the interior, illustrated in Decorated Porcelains of Dingzhou: White Ding Wares from the collection of the National Palace Museum, 2014, p. 134, no. II-83. It is noted that the three bands of lotus petals in shallow relief around the exterior was a popular decorative device in the Northern Song period which continued into the late Jin dynasty, and applied to large bowls, brush washers and alms bowls, ibid, p. 134.

Compare also a small number of rare examples of Ding bowls that are decorated on both sides, such as the Ding bowl of slightly smaller size (26.7 cm. diam.), freely carved on both the interior and exterior with fish swimming amidst waterweeds and waves, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3323; and another example finely incised with lotus flowers on both sides (27.8 cm. diam.), sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3220.

The result of Oxford Authentication thermoluminescence test no. P299e22 is consistent with the dating of this lot.

CHRISTIE'S. THE IMPERIAL SALE & IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 3 June 2015, Convention Hall