A Junyao dish, 11th-12th century

The shallow dish raised on a short, straight foot ring with a slightly inverted rim, covered all over with a soft blue-green glaze with a fine network of crackle. 18cm (7in) diam. Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 - Unsold

Provenance: a Swedish private collection

Note: The faint frosted crackle and pale exposed body material of the present example are comparable to those of prized Ru ware ceramics. Whilst Junyao was more typically produced in the Dayu kilns of Linru County, Jun shards have also been excavated from the Qingliansi kiln of Baofeng County, Henan Province, known for its specialised production of Imperial Ruyao; see Wang Qingzheng (ed.),The Discovery of Ru Kiln, Hong Kong, 1999, p.89. The excavation report and analysis of shards found at the site reinforces the very close relationship between Jun and Ru wares during this period, see ibid, pp.108-109.

A comparable dish formerly in the Hans Popper Collection, is illustrated by G.Eskenazi, Song Ceramics from the Hans Popper Collection, London, 2005, Catalogue no.34.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 14 May 2009. New Bond Street www.bonhams.com