A small Longquan celadon glazed mallet-shaped vase, Southern Song dynasty. Photo Bonhams

Potted with a dish-shaped mouth, now repaired and covered by a gilt metal collar, cylindrical neck, canted shoulder and walls tapering slightly toward the foot and recessed base, the gray-green glaze covering all surfaces except the foot pad (losses, cracks). 6 1/4in (16cm) high. Estimate US$ 3,000 - 5,000 (€2,200 - 3,700)

Provenance: Oskar Gerson Collection, acquired during the 1920's-1930's, Germany, and thence by descent

Many examples of the mallet form vase have survived with handles: for examples with phoenix and fish handles, see Zhu Boqian (ed.), Longquan yao qingci, Taibei, 1998, cat. no. 115 and 116, pp. 148-149. The mallet form vase without handles is a rarer occurrence: for an example with a slightly taller neck, excavated in Songyang county, Gushi city and now in the Longquan Municipal museum, see, Zhongguo Taoci Chuanji, volume 8, part II Song, Shanghai, 1999, pl. 76, illustrated p. 114 and discussed p. 262. Another example of the shape, preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan, is published in Gugong Song Ci Tulu: Nan Song Guanyao, Taipei, 19784, cat. no.24, as Guan ware, 11.8cm high.

The shape also traveled to Korea where an example from the Goryeo period is preserved in the collection of the National Museum: see The Best Under Heaven: the Celadons of Korea, Seoul, 2012, cat. no. 253, p. 260, 14.2cm high, as 11th-12th century

Bonhams. ASIAN DECORATIVE WORKS OF ARTS, San Francisco, 25 Jun 2014 10:00 PDT - www.bonhams.com