Western Jin Yue Kiln Celadon Tree Vessel With Multi-Bird Appliqué

拍品描述

Dimensions：Overall Height 40 cm (15.7 in), Base Diameter 17 cm (6.7 in), 3rd – 4th Century CECondition & Provenance：The vessel remains fully intact with no missing pieces. The top primary bird and all attached small bird sculptures have no breaks or restorations. The glaze is covered with naturally aged crackle; only tiny original kiln cracks exist at sculpture joints from firing, no later damage or repair. Incised geometric patterns stay crisp and intact, red-brown kiln support marks on the base are natural, with even ancient burial patina all over. It was part of a distinguished Hong Kong private collection specializing in pre-Song celadon, then acquired by a vintage ceramic collector based in Seattle, Washington, USA in 2022, with full provenance records and professional appraisal documents attached.Description：This sacred tree celadon vessel is a ritual burial artifact crafted at Yue Kiln during the Western Jin Dynasty, exclusively produced for elite tombs of the Wei-Jin era. The tree symbolizes a celestial ladder connecting mortal and divine realms, while flocks of birds represent divine messengers guiding souls to heaven and praying for abundant harvests. The piece was hand-thrown in separate sections then joined together. The wide rounded base belly is decorated with multiple bands of closely incised chevron comb patterns, a signature decorative technique of Western Jin Yue porcelain. An elongated tapering column rises from the base, layered with three-dimensional molded birds staggered around its surface. A large dominant sacred bird stands at the apex with spread wings finely incised to show feather texture, vivid and lifelike. Dozens of smaller miniature birds surround the trunk, each carved with defined beaks, eyes and wing tails, creating a grand scene of hundreds of birds gathering on the sacred tree. The entire piece is coated in smooth grayish celadon glaze with translucent texture and dense natural crackle formed over centuries underground, covered in soft antique patina. The clay body is solid pale gray, flat unglazed base bears multiple reddish-brown kiln support marks from original firing, with seamless transition between glaze and clay. Complete Western Jin Yue sacred tree vessels are extremely rare on the market. This tall, well-proportioned specimen retains all original bird appliqués with rich layered detail, combining hand carving, molded sculpture and wheel-throwing craft. It perfectly preserves the complete porcelain production system and burial ritual culture of southern China during the Six Dynasties, serving as an essential physical reference for academic research on Yue Kiln craftsmanship and Wei-Jin immortal worship ideology. It is a museum-grade rare early celadon sought after by North Asian antique ceramic collectors, carrying exceptional archaeological research value and strong long-term market appreciation potential.

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