Lot 142. A fancy colored diamond and diamond ring. Estimate US$ 150,000 - 250,000 (€120,000 - 210,000). Photo: Bonhams.

of crossover design, set with two pear-shaped brilliant-cut Fancy Gray Blue diamonds, weighing 0.77 and 0.73 carats, set within a frame of round brilliant-cut diamonds, to similarly cut diamond shoulders; mounted in 18k white and rose gold; size 6 1/4 

Note: Accompanied by GIA report # 2155800806, dated November 25, 2013, stating the 0.77 carat diamond as: Fancy Gray Blue color, VVS2 clarity.

Accompanied by GIA report # 2155800803, dated November 25, 2013, stating the 0.73 carat diamond as: Fancy Gray Blue color, VS1 clarity.

Bonhams. FINE JEWELLERY, 19 Sep 2017, 13:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 23. An extremely rare copper-red Ming-style cylindrical jar, Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795). Height 7 in., 17.8 cm. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's. 

rising from a slightly splayed foot to a slightly flared mouth, the gently rounded sides finely painted with a broad band of a dense geometric pattern of cell diapers enclosing lotus sprays, spiky florets, leaf and lozenge motifs, tessellating to form star-shaped panels, framed above and below by foliate scroll bands, with borders of demi-flower heads at the foot and neck, the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue 

Note: Copper red-decorated jars of this type are extremely rare and this piece, with its meticulously executed design in vibrant red, boasts the technical advances made at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province during the Qianlong period while referencing revered wares of the past. A highly temperamental pigment, copper-red glazes had largely been abandoned since the early Ming dynasty and were revived and drastically improved in the early Qing period, starting in the Kangxi reign. It is under the Qianlong Emperor, however, that ever more complex designs painted with almost pencilled lines in underglaze red began to appear.

Both the form and decoration of this piece are modeled after Yongle (1403-1424) prototypes, which were themselves inspired by Middle Eastern designs. The highly complex motif of concentric geometric enclosures radiating from a multi-faceted six-pointed star required careful calculation and composing before painting in order for it to succeed visually, especially on a round surface. This motif probably originated in Middle Eastern works on paper, such as a 14th century Quran painted in Iran, illustrated in Regina Krahl, ‘Chinese Designs: The Fluidity of the Brush’, Chinese Art from the Reach Family Collection, Eskenazi, London, 1989, p. 11, fig. 7. For a Yongle prototype of this form and motif, see a blue and white jar in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (I), Hong Kong, 2008, pl. 43. 

Qianlong jars of this type are more commonly known in underglaze blue, such as one in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, illustrated in Lu Minghua, Qingdai Yongzheng-Xuantong guanyao ciqi [Qing Dynasty Official Wares from the Yongzheng to the Xuantong Reign], Shanghai, 2014, pl. 4-11 (left); one in the Hangzhou Tu Huo Zhai Museum of Antique Ceramics, Hangzhou, included in the exhibition Treasures of Imperial Porcelain, Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Hangzhou, 2011, p. 102; a pair, from the collection of Edward T. Chow, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd May 1994, lot 173; and a further pair sold in our London rooms, 16th June 1999, lot 798. 

Compare also Qianlong mark and period moonflasks painted in copper red with a similar design: one in the collection of C.P. Lin, included in the exhibition Elegant Form and Harmonious Decoration, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1992, cat. no. 171; another included in the Min Chiu Society exhibition An Anthology of Chinese Ceramics, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1980, cat. no. 118; and a third sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 1st November 1999, lot 370.

Lot 33. A famille-rose'Three Abundances' bowl, Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795). Diameter 6 in., 15 cm. Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the deep rounded sides rising from a short tapered foot, decorated to the exterior with three fruiting sprays, including pomegranate, lychee, and peach, together forming the auspicious sanduo (Three Abundances), the base with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue

Provenance: John Sparks, London.
Sotheby’s New York, 22nd-23rd September 2004, lot 318.

Note: Compare a closely related bowl in the Wah Kwong Collection, included in the exhibition Ch'ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collections, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 106; another was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong exhibition Ch'ing Polychrome Porcelain, Fung Ping Shan Museum, 1977, cat. no. 86; and a third is illustrated in Gordon Lang, The Powell-Cotton Collection of Chinese Ceramics, Birchington, 1988, col. pl. 16. See also a closely related bowl sold in our London rooms, 12th May 2010, lot 192; and another sold twice in our Hong Kong rooms, 18th May 1988, lot 285, and again, 27th April 2003, lot 197.

A fine 'famille-rose''sanduo' bowl, Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795), 15.5cm., 6 1/8 in. Sold for 82,850 GBP at Sotheby's London, 12th May 2010, lot 192. Photo: Sotheby's.

A 'famille-rose' sanduo bowl, Qianlong seal mark and period (1736-1795) sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong 27th April 2003, lot 197. Photo: Sotheby's.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2017, 10:00 AM

NDB: See also 

A fine 'famille-rose' sanduo bowl, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795), 6 in. (15.2 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 1,500,000 - HKD 2,500,000. Price realised HKD 1,600,000 at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2016, Lot 3241. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016

The bowl is enamelled on the exterior with three detached fruiting sprays including lychee, pomegranate and peach, forming the 'Three Abundances'. 

Provenance: Private American collection
S. Marchant & Son, London
Collection of an English Lord, acquired on 12 June, 1998

Note: A similar Qianlong-marked bowl was included by The Chinese University of Hong Kong in their exhibition of Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, 1973, no. 106, another example is included by Gordon Lang in The Powell-Cotton Collection of Chinese Ceramics,1998, no. 88, pl. 16; a further pair of bowls of this pattern are illustrated by Torataro Yoneyama in Qing Porcelain in the Seikado Bunko Collection, 2006, no. 43, pp. 54-5.

© Giuseppe Penone. 

AIX-EN-PROVENCE.- Château La Coste une exposition de Giuseppe Penone à l’automne 2017 dans l’espace galerie dessiné par l’architecte Italien, Renzo Piano.

Considérant le design de Piano, les abords et le paysage environnant, Penone a soigneusement choisi des travaux qui seront présentés à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur de la galerie, créant un dialogue entre art, architecture et nature.

Les travaux sur papier, les travaux à grande échelle en bronze et en marbre et la délicate réplication d’un seul grain de sable sont inclus dans un contexte qui apporte une résonance poignante à l’intérêt de Penone pour les questions de nature et d’identité dans la société industrialisée d’aujourd’hui. 

Une publication accompagnera l’exposition, coordonnée par Laurent Busine avec de nouveaux dessins de Renzo Piano et textes de Didier Semin et Giuseppe Penone. 

Giuseppe Penone est né en 1947, dans la petit ville de Garessio, dans le Piémont, en Italie. Il a étudiéà l’Académie de Belle Arte à Turin, où il vit et travaille encore aujourd’hui. Initiallement associé au mouvement artistique Italien “Arte Povera”, Penone s’est aujourd’hui imposé comme l’un des plus grands sculpteurs vivants. Ses récentes expositions incluent une grande retrospective au Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain de Trente et Rovereto (MART) en 2016, ainsi que des expositions au Rijksmuseum d’Amsterdam en 2016, au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Grenoble en 2014, dans les jardins du Château de Versailles et au Madison Park de New York en 2013. En 2007, il a représenté l’Italie lors de la 52éme Bienale de Venise. 

Avec le soutien de Marian Goodman Gallery New York, Paris, Londres.

AIX-EN-PROVENCE.- Château La Coste announces an exhibition by Giuseppe Penone that will open this autumn in the recently constructed gallery pavilion by Italian architect, Renzo Piano.

Considering Piano’s design, the approach, and the surrounding landscape, Penone has carefully selected works that will be presented both inside and outside the gallery, creating an overall dialogue between his artwork, architecture and nature.

Works on paper, large scale bronze and marble works, and the delicate replication of a single grain of sand are included in a context that brings a poignant resonance to Penone’s interest in questions of nature and identity in todays industrialised society.

A publication will accompany the exhibition, coordinated by Laurent Busine and including a new drawing by Renzo Piano, and new texts by Didier Semin and Giuseppe Penone.

Giuseppe Penone was born in 1947, in the small town of Garessio in the Piedmont region of Italy. He studied at the Accademia di Belle Arte in Turin where, he contiunes to live and work. Initially associated with the an Italian movement coined “Arte Povera”, Penone has gone on to establish himself as one of the most important sculptors practicing today. Recent exhibitions include a major survey exhibition in the Museo di art modern e contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto (MART) (2016), and exhibitions atRijksmuseum Amsterdam in 2016 and at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Grenoble in 2014, the gardens of the Château de Versailles (2013), Madison Square Park, New York (2013). In 2007 he represented Italy at the 52nd Venice Biennale. 

With the support of Marian Goodman Gallery New York, Paris, London.

Giuseppe Penone, In bilico, 2012, bronze, pierre de fleuve, 502 3/8 × 196 7/8 × 78 11/16 inches (1276 × 500 × 200 cm) © Giuseppe Penone. Château la Coste. ADAGP Paris 2017.

Lot 1138. A glazed white ware lobed ewer, Liao dynasty, 11th century; 8 in. (27 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The body is divided into eight lobes by deep grooves on the exterior, and the flattened shoulder is set with a curved dragon spout on one side opposite a strap handle attached to the tall, cylindrical neck, all under a clear glaze. 

Provenance: Christie's New York, 18 September 2003, lot 238.
Peter Scheinman (1932-2017) Collection, New York.

Note: This ewer was likely intended for wine and would originally have had a cover and sat in a warming basin. Sets of this kind were derived from silver prototypes such as an octagonal silver ewer and warming basin engraved with floral design excavated in 1978 from a hoard found at a Liao dynasty site at Balin Youqi in Ju Ud Meng, Inner Mongolia, illustrated in Zongguo meishu quanji - Gongyi meishu bian, vol. 10, Beijing, 1987, p. 59, nos. 120-121. 

A very similar lobed ewer attributed to the Ding kilns, also molded with a dragon's head at the base of the spout, is illustrated in Sekai toji zenshu - Sung and Liao Dynasties, vol. 10, Tokyo, 1977, no. 78.

Lot 1147. A Xing shallow dish, Five Dynasties (AD 907-960); 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The shallow rounded sides rise to a slightly flared rim shaped as five bracket-lobed petals, and the dish is covered in a creamy-white glaze stopping in an irregular line above the foot. 

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

Lot 1149. A Northern white-ware cup stand, Northern Song dynasty (AD 960-1127); 5 ½ in. (14 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The cup stand is potted in the form of an inverted cup surmounting a circular dish with everted rim supported on a slightly splayed foot with three cloud-shaped openings all covered with a finely crackled translucent glaze, cloth box.

Note: The function of the cup stand is very similar to that of a saucer. As the steaming cups and bowls of tea have no handles, they are placed on stands when served or passed around, so as not to burn the fingers. In addition, they had a decorative purpose and were used as part of the presentation of the tea ceremony. In the Zu xia lu (Record of Leisurely Enjoyment) the 9th century author Li Kuangyi states that the first bowl stands were made in the Jianzong reign (AD 780-83). However, the earliest bowl stand excavated to date comes from a Jin dynasty tomb in Changsha, Hunan province. Certainly by the Song dynasty bowl stands were very popular in both lacquer and ceramics. 

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

Lot 1150. A Northern white-ware lobed jar, Northern Song dynasty (AD 960-1127); 4 ½ in. (11.5 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The sides are divided into seven lobes below a short neck and flared, rolled rim and the jar is covered overall with a clear glaze over a white slip, except for the flared, knife-trimmed foot and the base, which are covered with a white slip only, cloth box.

Note: Compare a similar but smaller (9.3 cm.) Northern white-ware lobed jar in the Francisco Capelo Collection, dated to Five Dynasties, and illustrated by Capelo et al. in Forms of pleasure: Chinese ceramics from burial to daily life, London, 2009, p. 84-5, pl. 28. 

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

Lot 1154. A carved Ding dish, Northern Song-Jin dynasty, 12th-13th century; 8 in. (20.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The dish has shallow sides rounding to the flattened, everted rim, and the interior is carved with a leafy stem bearing a single lotus. The dish is covered inside and out with a glaze of ivory tone that also covers the base, Japanese wood box.

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

Lot 1159. A small Ding ewer, Song dynasty (AD 960-1279); 5 3/8 in. (13.6 cm.) high. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The oval body is set with a short spout and has a Y-shaped rope-form handle terminating in two molded floral appliques. The whole is covered in a clear ivory glaze that continues onto the base, Japanese wood box.

Provenance: Kichi Ominami Collection, Japan, prior to 1970s.

Note: A Song dynasty Ding ewer with a similar handle was excavated in 1973 at Xiyanchuan village, Quyang county, and is published in Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China – 3 – Hebei, Beijing, 2008, no. 140.

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

Lot 1163. An unusual sgraffiato Cizhou shallow dish, Jin dynasty (1115-1234); 9 in. (23 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The heavily-potted dish has slightly rounded sides that rise to a flattened everted rim, and is carved in the interior with a single peony spray, Japanese double wood box.

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

Lot 34. An important Belle Époque seed pearl and diamond lady's wristwatch, Cartier, circa 1913. Estimate US$ 30,000 - 50,000 (€25,000 - 41,000). Photo: Bonhams.

manual movement, signed Cartier Paris, the tonneau dial with Roman numerals, framed by rose-cut diamonds, accented by old European-cut diamonds, terminating with a bar of rose-cut diamonds, continuing to a flexible bracelet composed of seven rows of seed pearls; signed Cartier, no.277 and no.555; estimated total diamond weight: 1.85 carats; mounted in platinum and 18k gold; circumference: 6 1/2in.

Bonhams. FINE JEWELLERY, 19 Sep 2017, 13:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 36. A fine diamond pendant, circa 1910. Estimate US$ 8,000 - 12,000 (€6,600 - 10,000). Photo: Bonhams.

designed as a highly flexible, openwork, circular pendant, with delicate millegraining, centering an articulated round brilliant-cut diamond, weighing approximately 1.60 carats, suspended from a collet-set chain, with similarly cut diamond spacers; unsigned, attributed to Cartier; estimated remaining diamond weight: 9.00 carats; mounted in platinum; length: 21in..

Note: This beautiful pendant exemplifies the superb workmanship from a master jeweler. The circular and highly flexible design, a Japanese inspired water motif, was a favorite used by Cartier during the end of the first decade of the 20th Century. 
Moving away from the foliate scrolls and wreaths used in jewelry at the turn of the century, designs became more geometric. This signaled the beginning of a new style at which Cartier was the forefront. This pendant reflects this transitional period. 

In The Cartier Collection there is an example of a similar brooch, created by Andrey Workshop, for Cartier in Paris. It was originally created as a hat pin for the Rothschild family as a special order. Later repurchased and transformed to a brooch and sold to Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt. This water motif was used for a series of similar extremely fluid diamond pendants, several with central diamonds, created by Cartier. Page 47, lower right, Judy Rudoe's book, Cartier 1900-1939 illustrates a plaster case of an almost identical pendant. 

While this jewel is unsigned, it exhibits extraordinarily fluidity and expertly crafted millegraining and would most likely have begun life in a Paris workshop under the direction Cartier.

Bonhams. FINE JEWELLERY, 19 Sep 2017, 13:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Lot 33. A diamond brooch, Cartier, circa 1960. Estimate US$ 25,000 - 35,000 (€21,000 - 29,000). Photo: Bonhams.

of openwork spiral design, centering a round brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 1.21 carats, accented throughout with baguette, old European and round brilliant-cut diamonds; signed Cartier; accompanied by a signed box; estimated remaining diamond weight: 9.00 carats; mounted in platinum; length 2in.

Bonhams. FINE JEWELLERY, 19 Sep 2017, 13:00 EDT, NEW YORK

Small Circular Tea Bowl with Russet Hare's-Fur Markings, Song dynasty, 12th-13th century. Jian ware: gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in iron oxide. From the kilns at Shuiji, Jianyang county, Fujian province. 4.6 x 9.6 cm (1 13/16 x 3 3/4 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of William B. Goldstein, M.D., 2004.161 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Provenance: William B. Goldstein, M.D. purchased from Robert H. Ellsworth, New York

Tea Bowl with Indented Lip and Golden Brown Hare's-Fur Markings, Song dynasty, 12th-13th century. Jian ware: dark gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in iron oxide. From the kilns at Shuiji, Jianyang county, Fujian province. H. 7.1 × Diam. 12.3 cm (2 13/16 × 4 13/16 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of William B. Goldstein, M.D., 2004.162.1 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Provenance: William B. Goldstein, M.D. purchased from J.J. Lally & Co., New YorkAcquisition

Bowl with Five Large Russet Splashes against a Subtle Hare's-Fur Ground, Jin dynasty, 12th-13th century. Northern black ware of Cizhou type: light gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in overglaze iron oxide. H. 7.9 x Diam. 20.1 cm (3 1/8 x 7 15/16 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Partial gift of Peter W. Scheinman and partial purchase through the Ernest B. and Helen Pratt Dane Fund for the Acquisition of Oriental Art, 2005.97 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Provenance: Peter W. Scheinman purchased at Christie's, New York in September 2003 sale (Lot 243)
Formerly in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Breece III, Evanston, Illinois
Formerly in the collection of James Godfrey, Charlottesville, Virginia
Formerly in the collection of Jan Hellner Collection, Stockholm

Publication History: Robert D. Mowry, Hare's Fur, Tortoiseshell, and Partridge Feathers: Chinese brown- and black-glazed ceramics, 400-1400, exh. cat., Harvard University Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 1996), pp. 154-155, no. 47

Tea Bowl with Indented Lip and Subtle Hare's-Fur Markings, Southern Song period, 13th century. Jian ware: dark gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in iron oxide, the lip banded with silver. From the kilns at Shuiji, Jianyang county, Fujian province. H. 7 x Diam. 12.1 cm (2 3/4 x 4 3/4 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Partial gift of William B. Goldstein, M.D., and partial purchase through the Ernest B. and Helen Pratt Dane Fund for the Acquisition of Oriental Art, 2005.179 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Provenance: J.J. Lally & Co., New York
William B. Goldstein, M.D., Wilton, Conn.
Hurst Gallery, Cambridge, Mass.
Mrs. Samuel T. Peters, New York

Tea Bowl with Indented Lip and Silvery-Brown Hare's-Fur Markings, Song dynasty, 12th-13th century. Jian ware: dark gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in iron oxide, the lip banded with metal. From the kilns at Shuiji, Jianyang county, Fujian province. H. 6.8 cm x Diam. 12.9 cm (2 11/16 x 5 1/16 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Purchase through the generosity of Leonard P. Braus, Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky, Thomas M.T. and Catherine S.K. Fok, Mark Gaston, Dorothy T. Goldman, and David M. Leventhal and Bequest of Edmund C.C. Lin, by exchange, 2007.81 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

The walls of this large yankou wan, or funnel-shaped, tea bowl expand from the small, circular foot, beginning their steep ascent to the lightly indented, vertical lip at an angle approximately one-half inch above the foot. Thin at the rim, the walls thicken as they descend, so the relatively heavy bowl has a low-set center of gravity. Of standard Jian type, the short footring has a flat blottom and straight walls of intermediate thickness; also of standard type, the base is both flat and shallow. Appearing black, a dark brown glaze coats the bowl inside and out, excluding the foot and base. Although the angled change of profile arrested its flow on one side, the glaze ran to the foot in two thick tears on the other; the thick welt at the glaze's lower edge is thus irregulary configured. Denser at the mouth, a pattern of silvery brown hare's-fur markings extends to the glaze edge on the exterior and to the small, circular, lightly tilted floor on the interior. The exposed body clay on the bowl's lower eterior assumed a dark purplish brown skin in firing. The bowl was turned on the potter's wheel, after which its foot and base were shaped with a knife. Following a period of drying, the bowl was dipped in the glaze slurry; once it had dried again, its lip was immersed in an iron-bearing slip, which caused the hare's-fur streaks to form in the kiln. The bowl was fired right side up in its saggar, seated on a clay firing cushion.

Provenance: J.J. Lally & Co., New York (dealer) (2007)
Diane H. Schafer Collection, New York (acquired in the late 1980s or early 1990s)
James Bradford Godfrey, New York (dealer) (late 1980s or early 1990s)
Mrs. Agnes Hellner Collection, Stockholm, Sweden (widow or daughter of J. Hellner) (1980s)
J. Hellner Collection, Stockholm, Sweden (acquired in the 1950s or 1960s)
Probably from an old Japanese collection, as indicated by the metal rim and by the bowl's mid-twentieth-century entry into a European collection

Publication: Robert D. Mowry, Hare's Fur, Tortoiseshell, and Partridge Feathers: Chinese brown- and black-glazed ceramics, 400-1400, exh. cat., Harvard University Art Museums (Cambridge, MA, 1996), pp. 218-219, no. 82

Crosscurrents: Masterpieces of East Asian Art from New York Private Collections, exh. cat. (New York, 1999)

Exhibition: Re-View: S228-230 Arts of Asia, Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Cambridge, 05/31/2008 - 11/23/2008

Small Tea Bowl with Rounded Sides and Russet Hare's Fur Markings, Song dynasty, 12th-13th century. Jian ware: dark gray stoneware with dark brown glaze, the markings in iron oxide. From the Jian kilns at Jianyang, Fujian province. H. 5.9 x Diam. 10.5 cm (2 5/16 x 4 1/8 in.). Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Edmund Chi Chien Lin, 2010.459 © President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

This small tea bowl has rounded sides that rise from its small, circular footring to its circular lip, which is subtly indented just below the top. The bowl's walls are relatively thick, though they taper towards the lip; the thick walls 1) helped to keep warm the tea that originally was served in the bowl and 2) made the bowl's center of gravity relatively low which aided in keeping the bowl upright and the tea contained, should the filled bowl accidentally be bumped. The dark brown glaze, which appears black in reflected light, covers the bowl's interior and most of its exterior, stopping about one-third of the way up from the footring. The lowest portion of the bowl is unglazed, as are the footring and base. The bowl's dark gray clay body is visible in the unglazed areas; the exposed body clay assumed a dark purplish brown, or liver-colored, skin during firing. Termed "hare's fur markings", subtle russet brown streaks enliven the glaze inside and out on the upper portion of the bowl. The markings were created by dipping the lip of the bowl into iron-oxide-rich slip, once the glaze slurry had been applied and had dried or at least stabilized. The bowl was fired right side up in a saggar, standing on its footring. This is an exceptionally fine bowl of this type in terms of its shape, glaze, hare's fur markings, and condition. 

Provenance: Edmund Lin (1928-2006; Professor, Harvard Medical School), Boston; by bequest to the Harvard Art Museum