Bidspirit auction | A RARE CHINESE 'HARE'S FUR'

A RARE CHINESE 'HARE'S FUR' JIAN TEA BOWL, SOUTHERN SONG PERIOD - A RARE CHINESE 'HARE'S FUR' JIAN TEA BOWL, SOUTHERN SONG PERIOD. 12 CM D; 5.5 CM H. The robustly potted body with deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly everted rim, covered overall with a lustrous glaze suffused with russet ’hare’s fur’ streaks extending from the rim down the interior and exterior, the glaze falling short of the foot to reveal the purplish-brown stoneware body. Bowls of this type were made in the Jian kilns in Fujian province, the present bowl is a good example with its lustrous glaze. It displays all the major characteristics of wares of this type: the delicate and even russet-brown striations reminiscent of hare’s fur, the rich glaze forming a thick wall around the body and pooling towards the foot, and the faint groove below the rim for ease of secure gripping and slow drinking. It is known that the very best quality Jian bowls were carefully selected as tributes from Fujian to the court. Jian tea bowls were renowned for their unique suitability for tea drinking, the thickness of the glaze helped keep the beverage warm and protected the hands of the drinker against scalding, and it was aesthetically pleasing to note the contrast of the colours of the tea against the dark glaze of the vessel. PROVENANCE: Formerly in the collection of Gustaf Hilleström (1911-1994). EXHIBITED, Kina som hobby, Gustaf Hilleströms samling, Östasiatiska museet, Stockholm 1968, p. 35, ill. p. 62, pl. 26 b. GOOD CONDITION For reference see: Mineo Hata - A life in art auction at Sotheby’s (29 OCT 2024) LOT 2003