A RARE AND SUPERBLY-CARVED 'YUE' 'DUCKS AND LOTUS' BOX AND COVER NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY

of shallow circular form, the center of the slightly domed cover deftly carved in relief with two ducks with their wings outstretched around lotus, the petals and wings lightly incised with combed lines, all within double circle lines and further encircled by short incised sprigs along the edge of the cover, applied overall with a lustrous semi-translucent olive-green glaze (2)

Chugoku meito ten: Chugoku toji 2000-nen no seika [Exhibition of Chinese Pottery: Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics], Tokyo, 1992, no. 45.

The box with several restored chips to the inner rim, and a chip to the outer rim. The cover with minor fritting and a burst bubble to the interior.
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.

This rare and exquisitely carved box, is characterized by its beautifully executed design which combines both incising and relief carving to create a sense of three-dimensionality. Boxes belonging to this group are extremely rare and the closest known examples include two included in the exhibition Yueyao. The Coming of Age of Chinese Ceramics, Priestley and Ferraro Chinese Art, London, 2011, nos. 19 and 20, decorated with a pair of mandarin ducks and a scrolling lotus plant respectively. All three boxes are decorated with confident carved designs using an angled blade and incised lines to enable the glaze to pool to different depths and intensities. This type of carving was pioneered by the Yue potters and embraced as one of the defining characteristics of Yaozhou ware.

Boxes of this form were inspired by similar Tang dynasty silver wares, which in turn were derived from Sasanian metalwork. The slightly domed form, flared foot, and angled edges are characteristic of metal shapes, as are the finely incised linear details. Ceramic versions first appeared in the Tang dynasty and gained popularity during the Song period, and were produced in a variety of shapes and decorative motifs.

The development of ceramic boxes reflects the social position and lifestyle of women during these periods. Tang examples were slightly fuller and rounder in form with a spirit of youthfulness in their simple and clean profiles, also seen in Tang pottery and frescoes. In contrast the Song ideal beauty gravitated to slender forms and fine features as evidenced in Song art and literature. The combination of delicately incised details and elegant floral design on a slim and highly tactile form is evidence of this Song style. The level of workmanship of this piece suggests it was individually created for a lady of high social standing. These boxes may also have been part of a lady's dowry, as the two ducks and lotus are both symbols for marital bliss and happiness.

A related box, carved with a roundel of birds and foliage, was sold at Christie’s London, 5th June 1995, lot 93; another from the Nien-Hsi Foundation Collection was included in the Foundation’s Special Exhibition of Early Chinese Greenware, Taipei, 1996, cat. no. 111; and a third example depicting confronted ducks within a lotus scroll, was included in the exhibition Heaven and Earth Seen Within. Song Ceramics from the Robert Barron Collection, New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, 2000, cat. no. 3.