Lot 139. A russet-splashed black-glazed jar, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

of ovoid form rising from a splayed foot to a short waisted neck with flared rim, the exterior applied overall with a russet-mottled black glaze accentuated with diagonal russet streaks, the glaze falling short of the foot to reveal the yellowish-brown stoneware body. Height 4 7/8  in., 12.4 cm

The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of a thermoluminescence test, Oxford Authentication Ltd., sample no. P106q14. 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 140. A black-glazed 'ribbed' jar, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

of ovoid form rising to a short neck with lipped rim, the body with a series of evenly-spaced raised vertical trails of white slip, a pair of ridged and tapering strap handles on the shoulder, covered overall in a black glaze and thinning to cream color at the raised ribs and stopping well short of the foot, exposing the buff-colored body, wood stand (2). Height 8 in., 20.3 cm 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 141. A sky-blue 'Jun' dish, Song dynasty (960–1279). Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

the shallow rounded sides rising from a slightly recessed base, covered overall in a thick lavender-blue glaze thinning at the rim to a mushroom color, supported on an unglazed neatly pared foot ring. Diameter 7 in., 17.8 cm 

Provenance: Susan Chen, Hong Kong, 1970s-80s.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 142. A blue 'Jun' tripod censer, Jin-Yuan Dynasty. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

the compressed globular body raised on three short tapering legs, the short broad neck culminating in a wide angled galleried rim, covered overall with a blue glaze extending over the interior and exterior and completely covering the base, thinning to a mushroom tone at the rim, the tips of the feet left unglazed. Height 3 1/2  in., 8.9 cm 

Provenance: Susan Chen, Hong Kong, 1970s-80s.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 143. A 'Longquan' celadon 'lotus' bowl, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279). Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

finely potted, the deep rounded sides rising from a slightly tapered foot, the exterior subtly molded with overlapping lotus petals, covered overall save for the foot ring with a sea-green glaze, the foot ring fired to a brownish-orange, two Japanese wood boxes (5). Diameter 5 1/4  in., 13.3 cm 

Notes: Bowls of this form appear to have been particularly popular during the Song and Yuan periods and have been found in major burial sites throughout China. A related bowl, excavated in Shaanxi province, together with a brazier dated to AD 1204, is illustrated in Yutaka Mino and Katherine R. Tsiang, Ice and Green Clouds. Traditions of Chinese Celadons, Indiana, 1987, pl. 76a, together with another bowl found at the bottom of a Song dynasty well at Miaojiaoqiao near Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, pl. 76b.

A slightly larger bowl of this type was included in the exhibition Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 61. Larger bowls include one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (II), Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 134; one from the Sir Percival David collection and now in the British Museum, London, published in the Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, Section 7, London, 1997, pl. A211; another from the Hans Popper collection, included in the exhibition Song Ceramics from the Hans Popper Collection, Eskenazi, London, 2005, cat. no. 13; and a fourth bowl sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th November 2011, lot 3007.

Several lotus bowls of this type of various sizes are illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 1, London, 1994, pls 539-544, where the author notes that the finest Longquan wares were produced in the Southern Song period and that while this type of bowl was produced in large quantities during the Song and Yuan dynasties, the earlier bowls are distinguished by their clarity of glaze and finely carved petals (see p. 290).

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 144. A large celadon-glazed bulb bowl, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Estimate 4,000 — 6,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

the shallow rounded sides rising from three animal-mask feet to an incurved lip, carved around the exterior with lotus scrolls below a narrow band of applied floret studs, covered overall with a grayish-green glaze, pooling to a turquoise-green and suffused with a dense network of crackle, stopping unevenly at the center of the interior and base to reveal the dark-brown stoneware body. Diameter 16 in., 40.6 cm 

Provenance: Collection of George Eumorfopoulos (1863-1939), no. B113.
Sotheby's London, 28th May 1940, lot 85. 
Collection of Henry Guinness de Laszlo (1901-1967), and thence by descent.

Bibliography: R.L. Hobson, The George Eumorfopoulos Collection Catalogue of the Chinese, Corean and Persian Pottery and Porcelain, vol. II, London, 1926, pl. XXXII, fig. B151. 
R.L. Hobson and A.L. Hetherington, The Art of the Chinese Potter, London, 1923, pl. LXX, fig. 2.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 145. A 'Longquan' celadon charger, Ming dynasty. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

heavily potted with shallow rounded sides gently rising from a short tapered foot to a lipped rim, covered overall with a lustrous olive-green glaze, the concave base with an unglazed ring burnt orange in firing. Diameter 16 5/8  in., 42.3 cm

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 146. A rare 'Qingbai' vase, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

the pear-shaped body rising to a slender neck and flared rim, applied with fine beaded decoration forming the outlines of four ruyi heads, with upright bands of lappets around the neck, each head enclosing a character and forming the phrase shou bi nan shan, fu ru dong hai (a wish for longevity as enduring as the mountains and fortune as vast as the sea), covered overall with a pale blue-green glaze suffused with crackles. Height 11 in., 28 cm

Exhibition: Zhongguo taoci jingpin zhan [The Exhibition of Chinese Ceramics of Eight Dynasties], National Museum of History, Taipei, 1987, p. 40.

Bibliography: Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika [Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics], Tokyo, 1992, no. 60.

Note: It is extremely rare to find a qingbai vase decorated and inscribed in this style. See a vase of closely related form and with the same inscription, excavated in 1963 from Wotuo Chi's tomb near the Longtan lake and now in the Capital Museum, Beijing, published in Selections from the Capital Museum Collection. Beijing, 1991, cat. no. 72.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 147. A rare 'Guan' planter, Yuan-Ming Dynasty, circa 12th-14th century. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's

of quadrilobed form, supported on four ruyi-shaped feet, covered overall in a lustrous silky glaze of grayish-celadon tone, suffused with a fine network of luminous golden-beige crackles, the interior with a central aperture surrounded by four dark-brown spur marks, the rim bound in metal. Length 9 3/8  in., 23.7 cm

Provenance: Collection of Wah L. Liu, New York

Note: Unusual for its large size, this planter appears to have been inspired by the similarly sized and robust wares of the Jun kilns. Compare four flowerpots of this form, raised on ruyi-form feet, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated inSelection of Jun Ware. The Palace Museum’s Collection and Archaeological Excavation, Beijing, 2013, pls 62-65; and two narcissus bowls, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in A Panorama of Ceramics in the Collection of the National Palace Museum: Chun Ware, Taipei, 1999, pls 45 and 46.

Compare smaller Song dynasty Ge censers with similarly-shaped ruyi feet, such as one with steep curved sides supported on five feet and five short posts set at the rim, sold in our London rooms, 12th July 2006, lot 48; and a wide barrel-shaped censer raised on three feet, attributed to the Song/Yuan periods, sold in our London rooms, 2nd May 1995, lot 8.

The lobing and the oval contour of this vessel follow in the Tang silverware tradition, the forms of which were reproduced in ceramics as seen in a four-lobed stoneware bowl, from the Buffalo Museum of Science, New York, illustrated in William Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, London, 1984, pl. 294. The original silver shapes were later combined with archaic bronze vessel forms, replacing the tapering sides with straight walls with an everted rim to form flower pots.

The thick luminous glaze on the present piece was probably created by applying several layers and low-fired between each application. For final firing, large pieces such as the present were placed on stands and then fired at a relatively low temperature so that the material would become slightly cloudy during cooling. Firing in reducing conditions yields shades of blue, gray-blue and bluish green, while oxidizing conditions yield pinkish beige to gray shades such as the present. Crackle of varying density was created as a result of the contraction between body and glaze and sometimes deliberately tinted by the potter when the item was still hot out of the kiln; on cooling the cracks would close up and trap the pigment. Finer secondary crackles would appear over the ensuing weeks and months.

The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of a thermoluminescence test, Oxford Authentication Ltd., sample no. P116c36.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM

Lot 872. A large famille verte bottle vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The vase is boldly decorated with three mythical beasts standing on rocks emerging from crashing waves. The lower neck is decorated with a pattern of leafy tendrils bearing lotus, pomegranates and peaches, beneath a ruyi band suspending auspicious emblems. 20 in. (50.9 cm.) high, wood stands

Provenance: Morgan Collection, no. 398/399.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Literature: Catalogue of the Morgan Collection of Chinese Porcelains, New York, 1904, p. 66.

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Lot 873. A famille verte bottle vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 15,000 - USD 25,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The vase is boldly painted on the exterior with three mythical beasts standing on rock formations emerging from crashing waves. The lower neck is decorated with a pattern of scrolling tendrils set with lotus, pomegranates and peach, beneath a band of ruyi suspending auspicious emblems. 19 7/8 in. (50.4 cm.) high

Provenance: Morgan Collection, no. 398/399.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Literature: Catalogue of the Morgan Collection of Chinese Porcelains, New York, 1904, p. 66.

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Joseph Gad. A Remarkable Pair of 10.32ct Minor Oil Colombian Emerald & Diamond Earrings.

Joseph Gad. A Truly Magnificent Emerald And Diamond Layout.

Lot 874. A famille verte 'Phoenix-tail' vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The vase is decorated with birds amidst a blossoming prunus tree emerging from jagged rocks, all in yellow, green, and aubergine on a pale greenish-blue ground. An illegible seal mark is inscribed in underglaze blue on the base. 16 7/8 in. (42.8 cm.) high

Provenance: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Lot 875. A large gilt-decorated famille verte dish, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The center of the dish is decorated with a floriform roundel containing a basket of flowers, beneath two registers of radiating lappets enclosing composite flower blossoms, all reserved on a stippled ground decorated with further flower blossoms below a band of shaped panels enclosing auspicious emblems between different diapers on the mouth rim. The base is inscribed with an artemesia leaf in underglaze blue. 20 1/8 in. (50.8 cm.) diam.

Provenance: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Boghossian Jewels. Beautiful flower-like earrings with unusual oval shaped emerald cabochons of over 20 carats each.

Boghossian Jewels. Exquisite Colombian emerald of over 15 carats softly cradles a glittering diamond.

Lot 876. A large famille verte jar and cover, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The jar is decorated with three registers of shaped panels enclosing landscapes, figures at leisure, and birds, all on a stippled ground with flower head blossoms, beneath beribboned auspicious emblems on the shoulder and lappets on the neck. The cover is similarly decorated. 26 3/8 in. (67 cm.) high, wood stand.

Provenance: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Note: A famille verte jar of approximately the same size (64.8 cm) decorated with shaped panels of landscape scenes reserved on a flower-strewn stippled ground, was sold at Christie’s New York, 15 September 2009, lot 379.

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Lot 877. A famille verte rouleau vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Photo: Christie's Image Ltd 2016. 

The vase is decorated with a scene of a banquet celebrating the birthday of the Tang dynasty general Guo Ziyi, framed by rocks, leafy trees, and vaporous clouds, below the neck which is encircled by a blossoming peony branch and two birds. 18 1/8 in. (46 cm.) high.

Provenance: John D. Rockefeller Jr. (1874-1960) Collection.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned in 1960.

Note: The banquet scene depicted on this vase, known as Guo Ziyi zhushou (celebrating Guo Ziyi’s birthday) or da fugue yi shoukao(grand wealth, rank, and longevity), conveys a very auspicious message. The figure depicted is the Tang dynasty general Guo Ziyi (AD 697-781). General Guo served four emperors during the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907) and was instrumental in quelling the An Shi Rebellion. It is recorded that on his 60th birthday, many family members and officials came to offer their congratulations and covered his bed with their scepters, which were a symbol of officialdom. Because Guo enjoyed a successful career and long life, and his many sons and son-in-laws were also successful court officials, he became the ultimate representative of a blessed man bestowed with longevity, progeny and an honorable career..

Christie's. Collected in America: Chinese Ceramics from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza

Boghossian Jewels. Vibrant combination of contrasts with this Colombian emerald round-shaped inlaid into white opal ring.

Boghossian Jewels. Stunning Colombian emerald sets in blue chalcedony bracelet

Lot 703. A molded Yaozhou deep bowl, Northern Song dynasty, 11th-12th century. Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000 . Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2016

The bowl is molded on the interior with full-face blossoms alternating with blossoms in profile borne on a leafy meandering vine surrounding two blossoms borne on an ‘S’-shaped stem in the center, and the exterior is carved with simplified petals rising to the slightly everted rim. The bowl is covered overall with a glaze of attractive olive-green color. 6 in. (15.5 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box

Notes: Floral scroll designs were popular motifs on Northern Song Yaozhou wares. Early on, such designs were executed by a labor-intensive carving technique. The designs were carved at an angle, and as the glaze pooled in the recesses it produced an almost dichromatic effect, giving a sense of depth to the design. Later, impressed or molded techniques were introduced at the Yaozhou kilns, and the molded designs, such as that on the present bowl, achieved an effect similar to carved decoration and greatly improved the efficiency of production. 

A pottery mold of this particular design is in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, and is illustrated in Zhongguo taoci quanji(Compendium of Chinese Ceramics), vol. 10: Yaozhou ware, Tokyo, 1985, no. 72. A smaller Yaozhou celadon bowl with a closely related design, in the Tokyo National Museum, is illustrated in The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, Tokyo, 1997, p.46, no. 58. 

Christie's. The Classic Age of Chinese Ceramics: The Linyushanren Collection, Part II, 15 September 2016, New York, Rockefeller Plaza