A russet-splashed black-glazed conical bowl, Northern Song-Jin dynasty, 11th-first half 12th century © Christie's Image 2003

The slightly rounded sides rising to the gently everted rim, the interior covered with a black glaze splashed with russet markings and thinning to russet on the rim, the exterior covered with a matte russet skin falling short of the shallow ring foot - 4¾in. (12cm.) diam. Lot 251. Estimate $7,000 - $9,000. Price Realized $9,560 

Provenance: Stephen Junkunc, III.
Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art from an American Private Collection, Christie's, New York, 21 September 1995, lot 180. 

Property from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Breece III

Notes: The glaze on this bowl is a very successful example of the Song dynasty dark brown iron-rich glaze with russet splashes containing an even higher percentage of iron. Such glazes developed from earlier Tang glazes, but the Song potters utilized more refined raw materials and higher firing temperatures to achieve greater contrast and control. See N. Wood, Chinese Glazes - Their Origins, Chemistry and Recreations, London/Philadelphia, 1999, p. 142.

Compare the similar russet-splashed black-glazed bowl from the Edward T. Chow Collection, sold at Sotheby Parke Bernet, 16 December 1980, lot 256. See, also, the bowl and cover covered with a similar black glaze accented with russet splashes from the Falk Collection, sold in these rooms, 20 September 2001, lot 83. 

CHRISTIE'S. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 18 September 2003, New York, Rockefeller Plaza