Lot 55. A 'Lingwu' black-glazed sgraffito meiping, Xixia dynasty (1038-1227); 30.5cm., 12in. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 GBP. Lot Sold 23,750 GBP. Photo courtesy Sotheby's 2009

finely potted of meiping form, the rounded sides rising from the flared foot to the short neck and wedge-shaped flanged mouth, applied all over with a thick lustrous brown slip, deftly carved through in sgraffitotechnique to reveal an underlying design highlighted in a golden-brown tone, a broad band of peony designs against a finely combed background, above a band of thick interlocking plantain leaves at the foot and a narrower band at the shoulder, the glazed base incised with a three-character inscription, the first character reading mao (possibly a name).

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 04 Nov 2009