Lot 1436. A Jianyao 'hare's fur' tea bowl, Song dynasty (960-1279); 5 in. (12.7 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. Price realised USD 47,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The sides of the deep conical bowl round up slightly towards the silver-mounted rim, and are covered with a lustrous blackish glaze streaked with fine bluish-silver 'hare's fur' markings on the interior and russet and silver markings on the exterior where the glaze ends in a thick line above the foot to expose the brown ware, box.

Note: Although during the Tang dynasty celadon-glazed bowls had been the most admired for tea drinking, the even greater enthusiasm for tea during the Song dynasty saw a number of changes. Tea parties became the vogue and tea contests were often held at one of the many tea houses. Connoisseurs prided themselves on their ability to prepare tea, and contests were devised for the preparation of so-called 'whipped tea', which was whisked to produce a white froth on the top. Since the winner was the person whose froth lasted the longest, having a bowl whose color showed the froth to advantage was soon regarded as desirable. Black tea bowls became fashionable and were made at a number of kilns in north and woth China, including the Jian kilns of Fujian, where this bowl was made.

In His Cha lu (Record of Tea) Cai Xiang noted that: "The froth of the tea is seen most clearly in a tea bowl with black glaze. The tea bowls made at Jian'an have purplish black glaze with hare's fur pattern. The body is slightly thicker and so retains the heat well. It is excellent." It is this category into which this bowl falls.

Tea drinking was also popular at court and the Northern Song Emperor Huizong (r. 1101-1125) was a great devotee of tea drinking and wrote a twelve-chapter dissertation Da Guan cha lun (Discussion of Tea in the Daguan period). He, too, admired Jian hare's fur tea bowls and stated: "The black hued tea bowls are to be preferred. Those with the distinctive hare's fur glaze are the best."

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 21 - 22 March 2013.