Song-Yuan Qingbai Porcelain Long-necked Soul Vase with Relief Crane, Dragon & Human Figures

拍品描述

Dimensions: Overall Height 78cm (30.71in), Max Width of Lid 14cm (5.51in), Song and Yuan DynastyCondition & Provenance: Category: Pre-Ming Ancient Chinese Porcelain, primary trading market Hong Kong. This soul vase was sourced from the private collection of Mark Carter, a veteran ancient ceramic collector based in Los Angeles, California, USA. He acquired this piece from a Sotheby’s Hong Kong single-owner sale back in 2017. The vase is fully intact with no major breaks or spliced restorations. The entire body is covered in original Qingbai celadon glaze, covered with natural fine crackle glaze formed over centuries, with genuine earth burial patina free of modern artificial staining. The standing crane finial on the lid is fully preserved, cloud mold patterns on the dome lid remain crisp. The tall neck features three-dimensional relief carvings of coiled chi dragon and flying cranes with bold, layered sculpting; the band of standing attendant figures circling the lower neck retains clear robe fold details. The lower oval body has smooth rounded contours, with unglazed reddish pottery base showing ancient dry clay texture. There is only one tiny ancient chip on the foot rim, no penetrating cracks, no re-glaze touch-ups or later repairs. Full supporting documents are provided: original Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction catalog, thermoluminescence dating report for ancient Chinese porcelain, and complete US cross-border cultural artifact import filing records.Description: This monumental Song-Yuan Qingbai porcelain long-necked soul vase is a major burial ritual vessel crafted at southern Chinese kilns, formed in segmented molds and fired as a unified whole. Its tall, imposing silhouette stands as a canonical example of Song-Yuan grain storage soul vase iconography. The sculpture is split into five distinct sections: bulbous lower body, decorated tall neck, ruffled lotus leaf collar, domed lid, and upright crane finial. The rounded lower belly carries minimal ornamentation, the glaze tinted pale grey from underground burial deposits, with unglazed terracotta red base revealing coarse, aged clay with clear natural burial wear. The elongated neck serves as the primary decorative zone, adorned with three-dimensional relief sculptures of winding chi dragons and flying cranes; mythical beasts are carved with dynamic, powerful postures and deep layered relief work. A full ring of standing attendant human figures encircles the base of the neck, each with layered flowing robes and solemn facial features, a tangible representation of Song-Yuan folk Taoist burial beliefs. The upper lotus-leaf ruffled collar is fitted with small loop lugs, the wavy rim molded with natural fluid lines, blanketed in fine ice crackle glaze that forms naturally over hundreds of years of glaze aging. The domed lid at the top is impressed with cloud motifs, crowned by a solid upright crane sculpture with spread wings and raised head, a symbolic emblem guiding the deceased’s spirit to heaven, fully capturing the folk cultural pursuit of spiritual ascension in Song-Yuan China. The pale celadon glaze carries a soft warm tone, tightly bonded to the clay body. The relief carving process is extremely elaborate, with layered overlapping figures, mythical beasts and cranes demonstrating exceptional ceramic sculpting craftsmanship. Large fully intact relief soul vases like this are scarce in today’s global antique market, most surviving examples suffer cracks, missing sculptural elements or heavy repairs. This oversized specimen boasts complete decorative relief work, authentic natural crackle patina, and only negligible minor wear at the foot. It holds profound academic value for Chinese folk archaeology and ceramic history, paired with outstanding display appeal for antique art collections. It is highly sought after by veteran American and European collectors specializing in pre-Ming Chinese ceramics, ranking as a museum-quality Song-Yuan Qingbai porcelain treasure.

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