NORTHERN SONG/JIN DYNASTY, 11TH-12TH CENTURY

This pear-shaped vase form with flaring neck was made at the Yaozhou kilns both with and without carved decoration. An undecorated example larger than the Falk vase was exhibited in Japan in 1999 and is illustrated in the catalogue, Song Ceramics, Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, 1999, p. 54, no. 17, where it is dated to the Jin dynasty, 12th century. A somewhat smaller vase in the Yaozhou Ware Museum, with similar glaze color to the Falk example, is illustrated in The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, 1997, p. 86, no. 110. Another slightly larger vase of this shape with carved decoration of peony scrolls is illustrated in Chugoku Toji Shirizu Yoshugama no Seiji, Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, 1991, p. 6, no. 8. A modified version of this form was also made at the Jun kilns, as can be seen from the example included in the Illustrated Catalogue of Ru, Guan, Jun, Guangdong and Yixing Wares, Percival David Foundation, London, 1999, p. 38, no. 80.