Pair of Ru Kiln Celadon Crackle Gourd Vases with Matching Lids, Song Dynasty 10th–13th Century

拍品描述

Dimensions: Each vase is 17.5 cm (6.89 inches) high, Song Dynasty, 10th-13th century. Condition and Provenance: This pair of gourd-shaped vases is in excellent condition, without cracks, damage, or missing parts. Both come with their original gourd-shaped lids of the same color, which fit snugly against the neck. The bodies are covered with a naturally fine, crackled glaze and a warm, yellowish-brown patina formed over centuries of burial, a true testament to the passage of time. Three fine firing marks are clearly visible along the rim of the foot, revealing naturally aged reddish-brown clay. Neither vase has undergone any polishing, reglazing, or restoration. This pair of Ru ware gourd-shaped vases originally came from a historic antique porcelain gallery in Hong Kong, later ending up in North America, and is now part of the collection of a private collector in Washington State. Hong Kong was a major global trading center for Chinese porcelain from the pre-Ming, Song, and earlier periods. Description: This pair of Song Dynasty Ru ware celadon tortoise-shell vases, complete with their original lids, were court-level decorative items favored by Song Dynasty literati. The vases feature a classic double-gourd shape, with slender and elegant necks, rounded and full bodies that transition smoothly and naturally, and a flat, small base fitted with matching tortoise-shell lids. The overall proportions are harmonious and the lines are fluid and beautiful. The surface is covered with Ru ware's signature sky-blue glaze, which, after a thousand years of soil erosion, has acquired a soft, warm beige luster. The thick glaze is covered with fine, interwoven, cicada-wing-like crackles, creating a rich and natural texture with distinct layers. The base utilizes Ru ware's unique technique of firing small kiln marks; three clearly visible kiln marks, about the size of sesame seeds, are well-preserved, a hallmark of Song Dynasty Ru ware. The gourd shape symbolizes good fortune and longevity, and when displayed in pairs, it represents double happiness, thus making it highly popular among Song Dynasty literati. Genuine Ru ware pieces are extremely rare worldwide, and a pair of gourds perfectly preserved with their original lids, clear kiln marks, and no signs of damage or repair are even rarer. This piece possesses threefold value: irreplaceable technical research value for the firing techniques of the Song Dynasty imperial kilns; significant historical and documentary value for the symbolic meaning of auspicious culture in the Song Dynasty; and extremely high museum-quality aesthetic value, making it highly suitable for permanent display in professional ancient ceramic institutions or top-tier private antique porcelain galleries.

图片