A RARE DING-TYPE CARVED EWER FIVE DYNASTIES/EARLY NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY |

the ovoid body rising from a short spreading foot to an angled shoulder and a tall tapering ribbed neck with everted rim, the shoulder carved with a band of overlapping lotus petals divided by a short spout, the body carved with large stiff overlapping leaves with double edges, covered overall with a creamy-ivory glaze falling short of the splayed foot to reveal the white body

This rare ewer is in good condition with the exception of flaking and glaze loss around the edge of the mouth rim, the ribbing on the neck, the edges of the carved lotus, small areas around the foot and to the spout; and there are some tiny chips to the tip of the spout.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present ewer is unusual for its elongated ovoid shape and densely carved decoration. Its form appears to have derived from kundika (‘pure-water bottle’), a metal vessel that was known to have used in Buddhist ceremonies since the Tang dynasty (618-907); see a bronze example in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, illustrated in Ancient Chinese Arts in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1989, pl. 328. White-glazed ewers of this type were known to have been produced at the kilns at the Ding prefecture, modern day Hebei province, from as early as the Five Dynasties period. Early white-glazed wares from these kilns are characterised by the boldly carved design, its depth accentuated by the creamy-ivory colour glaze. Ewers of various forms attributed to the early Northern Song period, were excavated in 1969 from the foundation of Jingzhong Yuan, Dingzhou, Hebei province and preserved in the Dingzhou City Museum, Dingzhou City, including one with a dragon-head spout carved with a band of lappets on the body, and another rendered with stylised scrolls panelled by two bands of lotus petals, illustrated in Zhongguo dingyao/Ding Kiln of China, Beijing, 2012, pls 112 and 114 respectively.