Lot 1165. A very rare large Jian 'hare’s fur’ conical bowl, Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279); 7 7/8 in. (20.1 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. Price realised USD 43,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The bowl is potted with deep sides flaring upwards to the gently everted rim covered inside and out with a lustrous black glaze finely streaked with russet 'hare's fur' markings thinning to russet at the rim and trimmed to a neat line above the foot ring exposing the dark body. The base is inscribed with a character sa (thirty).The mouth rim is mounted with a metal band.

Note: Compare the Jian 'hare’s fur'-glazed tea bowl of different shape and smaller size (12.4 cm. diam.), but also inscribed on the base with the character sa (thirty), and an additional character possibly reading liu (six), jia (nine) or da (large), in the Harvard University Art Museums, illustrated by R. D. Mowry in Hare's Fur, Tortoiseshell, and Partridge Feathers, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, 1996, pp. 209-13, no. 77.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 14 - 15 September 2017, New York