Lot 2234. A carved Cizhou basin, Northern Song-Jin dynasty (960-1234); 12 1/2 in. (30.8 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 300,000. Price realised HKD 187,500 © Christie's Images Limited 2013

The basin is potted with deep rounded sides rising to an everted rim, covered on the exterior with a dark brown slip, and on the interior with a white slip. The interior is further carved with a large central bloom on combed grounds below decorative bands on the cavetto.

Note: This basin belongs to a distinctive group of Cizhou wares with carved decoration on the interior incised through the white slip and with dark slip covering the exterior. Most of the examples from this group appear to be large bowls carved with a central bloom on the interior, and basins appear to be a much rarer form. Compare to three large bowls from this group in institutions worldwide, one in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Song Dynasty Ceramics, London, 2004, pls. 60 and 60a; one in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia, accession no. 205.2006; and another one from the Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke Collection, illustrated in Illustrated Catalogue of Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics, Tokyo, 1965, p. 72, no. 298. 

Compare also to a Song dynasty carved Cizhou basin of similar form and carved floral decoration, covered in white slip, in the collection of the Hakane Art Museum, Japan, illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. 1, Tokyo, pl. 587.

Christie's. Imperial Sale; Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall, 29 May 2013