Tang Dynasty Pair of Marbled Clay Feather Pattern Conical Tea Cups (7th-10th Century A.D.)

拍品描述

Dimensions：Mouth diameter 8.5cm (3.35 in), height 5.5cm (2.17 in), 7th-10th Century A.D.Condition & Provenance：The pair of cups are fully intact, free of cracks, chips, glaze flaking or post-firing restoration. The marbled clay veins run seamlessly without breaks across the cup bodies. Only faint natural aged earth patina lines the rim, the unglazed foot retains original kiln reddish tone and untouched ancient patina with no artificial polishing or cleaning. Provenance: Former private collection of a distinguished early Chinese porcelain collector based in Hong Kong. Acquired at Toronto Asian Antique Art Fair in 2015, passed down within a single private family for nearly forty years. The pair was only displayed in private themed exhibitions dedicated to Tang and Song marbled ceramics, and has never been consigned to any public auction.Description：This matched pair of marbled clay conical tea cups from Tang Dynasty stands as a iconic craftwork of China’s unique marbled pottery technique, fully showcasing extraordinary ingenuity of Tang ceramic natural imitation texture, serving as elegant tableware for scholar gatherings and tea tasting back in Tang era. The wares adopt classic conical shape with wide flaring rim, gently tapering wall from rim to tiny solid ring foot, delivering sleek lightweight silhouette with perfectly balanced proportions. The interior and exterior are entirely covered with marbled feather grain patterns, crafted by kneading and blending two tones of clay—honey yellow and dark brown. The clay flows naturally into layered wavy feather veins spreading radially from foot to rim, matching perfectly inside and out. Each cup bears one-of-a-kind natural vein layout with zero hand-painted strokes. The glaze layer is thin, clear and glossy with warm honey yellow base tone, interspersed with layered dark marbled streaks for soft dimensional texture. The ring foot is unglazed to expose original marbled clay body with dense solid texture, clay veins seamlessly connected with exterior decoration. Producing marbled pottery in Tang Dynasty demanded extremely complicated craftsmanship, requiring precise control over dual clay blending, wheel throwing, glazing and kiln temperature. Misaligned veins or shape distortion were common defects during firing. Fully preserved matching pairs with crisp smooth feather patterns are incredibly rare on today’s market. This matched conical cup pair features symmetrical precise shape, vivid natural marbled feather veins, mellow antique honey glaze, fully preserved original burial patina and thousand-year-old skin in flawless matching condition. They serve as benchmark physical specimens of Tang marbled ceramic craftsmanship, holding excellent ornamental value for tea room display, vital academic research significance for early Chinese ceramics and high-end collectible investment value, widely chased by veteran early porcelain collectors from Hong Kong, Pennsylvania USA and all Southeast Asian regions.

图片