Lot 2090. A large incised Dingyao 'peony' bowl, Northern Song dynasty; 20.7 cm, Japanese double wood box. Lot Sold 4,736,000 HKD (Estimate 400,000 - 800,000 HKD) © Sotheby's 2026

Provenance: Kochukyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo.

Note: The present bowl is an exceptional example of Ding ware, distinguished by its elegant lobed form and the fluid, crisp carving of the peony motifs. Ranked among the 'five great wares of the Song' dynasty, Ding wares were produced at the Dingzhou kilns in Quyang, Hebei province. They are celebrated for their thin potting, fine white body, which does not require a slip to appear white after firing, and a warm and ivory-coloured glaze that often runs down the exterior to form characteristic 'teardrops'. The lobed shape of the present bowl reflects the strong influence of contemporaneous silver and lacquer vessels, a testament to the sophisticated and refined taste of the Song elite.

The metal-bound rim is another defining feature of classic Ding wares. To maximise kiln space, bowls were fired upside-down (fushao), requiring the mouth rim to be wiped free of glaze to prevent it from adhering to the kiln furniture. The unglazed rim was subsequently bound with metal, which not only concealed the rough edge but also provided a striking aesthetic contrast to the luminous ivory glaze, elevating the vessel's visual appeal.

A closely related Ding lobed bowl of similar shape and size, but carved with alternating lotus sprays and swimming ducks, from the renowned Kempe Collection, was sold in our London rooms, 4 May 2008, lot 258. For bowls of this elegant lobed type decorated with floral blooms, compare an example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Song Dynasty I, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 45; and another carved with peony blooms included in the exhibition White Porcelain of Ding Yao, Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 1983, cat. no. 132.