Lot 1136. A green-glazed 'Boy and Phoenix' ewer, Northern Song or Liao dynasty, 10th-12th century, 7 ¼ in. (18.4 cm.) high. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. Price realised USD 131,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The ewer is molded in the shape of a boy seated on the back of a phoenix, the flower-form mouth rising from the top of the tail. It is covered overall with a green glaze, except for the interior of the foot, and the foot ring has three spur marks.

Provenance: J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 25 February 2005.
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

Note: The present ewer is not only charming, but also very rare, and very few examples appear to have been published. However, a Ding ewer in the form of a boy riding a chicken excavated in 1971 from Chenmin, Dingxian, Hebei province, is illustrated in Zhongguo taoci quanji (Compendium of Chinese Ceramics), vol. 9, Dingyao, Japan, 1981, no. 97. Another Ding ewer in the form of a boy riding a duck is illustrated in Homage to Heaven, Homage to Earth: Chinese Treasures of the Royal Ontario Museum, Hong Kong, 1992, p. 61, pl. 28 (right).