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Lot Essay
The fascination with Jun ware lies in its remarkable glaze, with its lustrous and opalescent qualities, as evident in the present lot. This opalescence is due to the effect of light on certain features within the glaze: the mass of tiny gas bubbles trapped in the glaze, the formation of minute crystals which reflect light back through the glaze, and an emulsion formed by two liquids within the glaze. Early examples of junyao have an even pale bluish glaze. Later, the potters began to add splashes of copper oxide to the unfired glaze, which resulted in colourful pieces comprised of bright purple areas contrasting with the soft blue tone of the glaze.
The present bowl belongs to a group of Jun wares relating to plant cultivation. These wares are well-made using moulds and each bears a Chinese numeral from one to ten, either incised or stamped on the base before firing. The dating of this group has been controversial since some scholars in China have been inclined to date them to the Song dynasty, while others have suggested a later date. Extensive archaeological and scientific research in China, which was presented at symposia held in 2005 and 2006 has led the majority of scholars to conclude that these fine quality numbered Jun wares must date to the Yuan or early Ming dynasty, late 14th to early 15th century. It may be significant that Jun wares do not appear to have been mentioned in Chinese literature before the Ming dynasty but are mentioned with increasing frequency in the latter part of the Ming dynasty. Interestingly, comparisons with ceramics from other kilns, including some excavated from the Imperial Ming kilns at Jingdezhen, suggests that these vessels may have been made for the court in the early Ming dynasty, which would account for the high proportion of extant examples being preserved in the imperial collection.
Judging from the extant vessels of this kind, the numbers relate to the size of the vessels. 'Eight' inscribed on the present washer represents a relatively small size as 'Ten' appears to be the smallest and 'One' the largest amongst this group. Compare with an example also incised with the numeral 'eight' on the underside, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the exhibition, A Panorama of Ceramics in the Collection of the National Palace Museum: Chun Ware, 1999, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 36 with a grape-purple glaze. Another Junyao example inscribed with the numeral 'eight' written on the interior foot was sold at Christie's London, 3 December 2008, lot 2536.
The present bowl belongs to a group of Jun wares relating to plant cultivation. These wares are well-made using moulds and each bears a Chinese numeral from one to ten, either incised or stamped on the base before firing. The dating of this group has been controversial since some scholars in China have been inclined to date them to the Song dynasty, while others have suggested a later date. Extensive archaeological and scientific research in China, which was presented at symposia held in 2005 and 2006 has led the majority of scholars to conclude that these fine quality numbered Jun wares must date to the Yuan or early Ming dynasty, late 14th to early 15th century. It may be significant that Jun wares do not appear to have been mentioned in Chinese literature before the Ming dynasty but are mentioned with increasing frequency in the latter part of the Ming dynasty. Interestingly, comparisons with ceramics from other kilns, including some excavated from the Imperial Ming kilns at Jingdezhen, suggests that these vessels may have been made for the court in the early Ming dynasty, which would account for the high proportion of extant examples being preserved in the imperial collection.
Judging from the extant vessels of this kind, the numbers relate to the size of the vessels. 'Eight' inscribed on the present washer represents a relatively small size as 'Ten' appears to be the smallest and 'One' the largest amongst this group. Compare with an example also incised with the numeral 'eight' on the underside, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the exhibition, A Panorama of Ceramics in the Collection of the National Palace Museum: Chun Ware, 1999, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 36 with a grape-purple glaze. Another Junyao example inscribed with the numeral 'eight' written on the interior foot was sold at Christie's London, 3 December 2008, lot 2536.