A RARE 'MARBLED' 'LOTUS-BUD' FORM WATERPOT NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY

well potted from marbled brown-and-white clays, with deep sides rising from a flat foot and countersunk base to an inverted rim, with a broad plain white band at the rim

One 4.5 cm wide section of the rim restored rim chips with an associated rim crack, and two further rim cracks, the longest measuring approximately 1.6 cm. The glaze with a faint network of crackle and flaked at the rim. The unglazed foot possibly polished.Some potting and firing imperfections throughout.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present vessel belongs to small group of wares produced by a number of northern kilns in Henan province, including the Kuangshan kilns of Jiaozuo and the Dangyangyu kilns of Xiuwu, in the 10th and 11th centuries. The brown and white clays were mixed together in the form of braids before being pressed over a mold. 

Compare a marbled cup of this form published in Illustrated Catalogues of Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics I, Tokyo, 1988, cat. no. 579, together with a cup stand. A similar water pot was also sold in our London rooms, 7th November 2007, lot 269.