A carved 'Cizhou' sgraffiato meiping, Song dynasty. Photo Sotheby's.

the ovoid body rising from a recessed base to a rounded shoulder and barrow short waisted neck with everted dished mouth, freely carved through the layer of brown slip to the ivory-white layer beneath with a broad leafy peony scroll band between bands of overlapping radiating petals encircling the base and neck, the recessed base covered with a pale buff slip - 32.5cm., 12 3/4 in. Estimate 40,000 — 60,000 GBP

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, London, 14 May 2014 - www.sothebys.com