An extremely rare dingyao white glazed pillow carved with lion pattern, Song Dynasty (AD960-1279). Estimate HKD400,000 - 500,000 (TWD1,619,000 - 2,024,000) (USD51,600 - 64,500). Photo courtesy Ravenel.

The surface of this roughly kidney-shaped pillow is very slightly slanted from the lower front to the higher back. Its body has a grayish-white hue and a robust texture. The top and all sides have a white glaze finish with a layer of black glaze underneath. For the decorative pattern, the white glaze was carved out, and the engraved design consists of an outer border with a plum blossom motif, which frames a lion in the center. The animal is captured in a jumping pose, powerful and impressive, and its face, mane, and bushy tail are shown in fine detail. The pillow's sides are visually divided into two parts by several swirl-grained patterns, the top one showing a band of round designs, and the bottom three consisting of a regular arrangement of plum blossoms. The plum blossom patterns on the top and the sides nicely complement each other. Overall, this is a piece of masterly craftsmanship with exquisitely drawn decorative patterns, putting it in the top range of Song dynasty porcelain pillows. L 22.5 cm x H 12.5 cm

PROVENANCE: Old Private Japanese Collection

Ravenel Spring Auction 2015 Hong Kong. Literati Sublimation - Oriental Arts for the Chinese Scholars. Tuesday, June 2, 2015, 3:30 PM. Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel Boardroom, Mezzanine Floor, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong