Lot 2834. A Jizhou ‘phoenix and prunus’ paper-cut resist-decorated tea bowl, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279); 5 in. (12.8 cm.) diam., box. Price realised HKD 400,000 (Estimate HKD 150,000 - HKD 200,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2021.

The bowl is covered on the exterior with a tortoise-shell glaze and the interior with a light speckled glaze reserve-decorated with two phoenixes in flight beside three prunus blossoms.

Exhibited: University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, The Multiplicity of Simplicity - Monochrome wares from the Song to the Yuan dynasties, 2012, no. 106.

Note: The conical bowl form, such as on the current ‘leaf’ bowl is the most revered form of Jizhou ‘leaf’ bowls. A similar Jizhou ‘leaf’ bowl, classified as Important Cultural Property, in The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, is illustrated by Asahi Shimbun, Song Ceramics, Tokyo, 1999, p. 117, no. 79. Another bowl of this type in the National Palace Museum collection is illustrated in Songci tezhan mulu (Illustrated Catalogue of Song Ceramics), Taipei, 1978, p. 50, no. 20.

Lot 2835. A Jizhou ‘tortoise shell’-glazed tea bowl, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279); 5 7⁄8 in. (15 cm.) diam., box. Price realised HKD 150,000 (Estimate HKD 50,000 - HKD 80,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2021.

The bowl has flared sides and is covered inside and out with a dark brown glaze splashed in amber tones reminiscent of tortoise shell, stopping just above the foot.

Exhibited: University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, The Multiplicity of Simplicity - Monochrome wares from the Song to the Yuan dynasties, 2012, no. 105.

Christie's. The Songde Tang Collection - Song Dynasty Ceramics, Hong Kong, 3 december 2021