Lot 524. A purple-splashed Jun bowl, Early Ming dynasty; 18.3cm diam. Sold for HK$ 40,000 (€ 4,749). © Bonhams.

Potted with rounded sides and a short straight foot, covered inside and out with a thick glaze of pale milky blue tone, thinning to an olive and grayish hue towards the extremities, with an irregularly-shaped splash of reddish purple swirl at the interior, the exterior with another two minute splash running down from the rim, the thick glaze on the exterior falls short of the foot to expose the pale brown stoneware.

Note: The prominent splashes of purple, red or green on Jun-glazed wares were produced by potters who deliberately added copper to the glaze.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 24 Nov 2012, Hong Kong, Admiralty