Lot 25. A rare 'Ding-type' russet-splashed 'Partridge feather' bowl, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty; 12.2cm diam. Sold for HK$512,000 © Bonhams 2026

Elegantly potted with gently rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to an everted rim, the interior covered with a lustrous black-brown glaze, thinning to a caramel-brown at the rim and applied with russet 'partridge feather' streaks, the exterior covered in a purplish-brown glaze and applied on one side with an iron-oxide slip to form a russet 'skin', stopping neatly above the foot, the centre of the base similarly glazed, fitted box. (2).

Note: Evoking the natural mottling of partridge plumage, the vibrant russet markings on this black-glazed bowl exemplify the sophisticated aesthetic cherished by the Song dynasty literati. The bowl achieves a rare balance between the dark, deep glaze and the lively brown flecks, imbuing the form with both spontaneity and structural harmony, even to the exterior. Achieved by splashing or brushing an iron-rich pigment over the dark glaze, such wares demonstrate the technical ingenuity of the potters and their pursuit of abstract, nature-inspired ornamentation. Beyond their functional excellence for the ritual of whisked tea, the serendipitous beauty of these glazes undoubtedly captivated the scholarly imaginations of the Song literati.

Archaeological evidence from the Ding kilns in Quyang confirms the rarity of russet-splashed vessels, with only a small number of related examples unearthed. These include two reconstructed conical bowls with comparable mottled glazes, the first published in Selection of Ding Ware. The Palace Museum's Collection and Archaeological Excavation, Beijing, 2012, pl.97; and the other, illustrated in Series of China's Ancient Porcelain Kiln Sites. Ding Kiln of China, Beijing, 2012, pl.129. Unlike the white Ding wares produced during the late 11th to early 12th century — which utilised space-saving inverted firing, black-glazed Ding were fired upright in saggars. This more traditional and resource-heavy method highlights the specialised nature of these dark-glazed productions within the Dingyao repertoire.

See a related Ding-type russet-splashed black-glazed dish, Northern Song dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 12 May 2010, lot 153.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 4 May 2026.