Pair of qingbai porcelain lobed boxes, China, Song dynasty, 12th–13th century. Diameter: 2 1/2 inches, 6.5 cm. Height: 1 3/4 inches, 4.5 cm. © Ben Janssens Oriental Art

Two small qingbai porcelain boxes, each of compressed circular drum shape. Both the cover and the bottom sections have multi-lobed sides with raised bands around the rims. The slightly convex top of each cover is undecorated. The boxes are covered in a thin, translucent bluish-white glaze, leaving the rims and bases uncovered, exposing the sugary white body, which has a few grit marks adhering to each foot. Each box has two incised vertical strokes in the glaze on the side edges to indicate the correct alignment of both parts.