Official Guan‑Ware Celadon Octagonal Cup, Southern Song Dynasty

拍品描述

Dimensions: 8.8 cm (3.46 in) in diameter, 5 cm (1.97 in) in height, 12th-13th century Southern Song Dynasty Guan ware octagonal teacup. Condition and Provenance: This cup is in perfect condition, without cracks, defects, or signs of repair. A thick, pale blue Guan ware celadon glaze covers the inside and outside of the cup. A natural network of golden crackles covers the entire body, from the rim to the foot. At the rim, where the glaze is thinner, a faint reddish-brown hue is visible. The foot is a typical dark, unglazed iron foot. The glaze exhibits a rustic, soft patina, without any modern artificial staining or polishing. This Southern Song Dynasty Guan ware octagonal teacup was acquired in 2018 by a private collection of Song Dynasty ceramics in Seattle, Washington, USA. Hong Kong is a major global trading center for Song and pre-Song Dynasty Chinese ceramics. Description: This museum-quality Guan ware octagonal cup is a royal tea utensil from the Southern Song Dynasty court, perfectly embodying the classic aesthetic characteristics of Guan ware's "purple rim and iron foot," and decorated with golden crackle patterns. The cup is octagonal with distinct edges. The octagonal rim is scalloped, tapering downwards to a small, delicate foot. Its dignified and elegant shape embodies the understated aesthetic ideals favored by Song Dynasty literati. Both the interior and exterior are covered with a thick, pale blue-green glaze, resembling solidified jade with a soft, understated luster. Natural, net-like golden crackles cover the entire cup, including the inner cavity, outer wall, and base. The variations in depth and density of the cracks are the result of centuries of natural formation, not artificial dyeing. The glaze thins at the rim, revealing the inner purplish-brown body, known as the "purple mouth." The exposed foot displays dark, rust-colored clay, the famous "iron foot," two prominent characteristics of Southern Song Dynasty official kiln porcelain. Tea culture flourished in the Song Dynasty. The octagonal, non-circular teacup was representative of high-ranking officials' tea utensils. The production of official kiln porcelain was inherently limited, making extant octagonal drinking vessels extremely rare. This piece is well-proportioned, with a jade-like glaze, genuine antique crackle patterns, and textbook-perfect purple mouth and iron foot characteristics. It is in excellent condition. A museum-quality Southern Song Dynasty official kiln porcelain, it possesses extremely high historical, artistic, and academic value for studying official kiln production techniques and Song Dynasty court tea-drinking customs.

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