北宋 磁州窰白地褐彩剔牡丹紋梅瓶

the well-potted tapered body rising to round shoulders, surmounted by a short waisted neck with galleried rim, freely carved through the layer of brown slip to the ivory-white layer beneath with two large peony blooms borne on a meandering scroll with trefoil leaves, each flower with combed and double-teardrop hearts within lobed petals, all between wavy overlapping lappets around the shoulder and the foot, applied overall with a transparent glaze, the grey base unglazed and fired to a buff-orange tone, Japanese wood box

繭山龍泉堂，東京

《中國宋元美術展目錄》，東京國立博物館，東京，1961年，編號247
《中國名陶百選展》，高島屋，大阪，1961年，編號21
《唐宋名陶展》，日本橋白木屋，東京，1964年，編號156

繭山龍泉堂，《龍泉集芳》，卷一，東京，1976年，編號534

This rare vase has restoration and over-painting to the upper body with six areas of over-painting to the lappets around the neck extending down and around the body to approximately 10cm., above the base suggesting that the vase has been broken into several pieces, minor glaze firing imperfections and light glaze scratches.
"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."

本品飾牡丹綻放，鮮明奪目，剔花精巧，雕纖細線條，更添立體感。藝匠於褐色護胎土上剔刻花紋，露出白色護胎土層，營造白地褐彩效果。如此剔花梅瓶，出自北宋河南觀台窰，該窰遺址曾出土相類紋飾瓷器破片，見一梅瓶破片例，錄於《觀台磁州窰址》，北京，1997年，圖版 XXI，編號2（右上）。

倫敦大英博物館存有相類梅瓶，載於《東方陶瓷：世界重要收藏》，卷5，東京，1981年，圖版110；伍斯特Worcester Art Museum並藏一例，曾展於《Freedom of Clay and Brush through Seven Centuries in Northern China. Tz’u-chou Type Wares》，Indianapolis Museum of Art，印第安納波利斯，1980年，編號39；再有一例見於 ISE 基金會，曾展於《白と黒の競演 ―中国・磁州窯系陶器の世界》，大阪市立美術館，大阪，2002年，編號52；第四例錄於《世界陶磁全集》，卷10，東京，1955年，圖版92。另可參考數例，一件雕刻兩行牡丹，存於京都國立博物館，前述出處，圖版94；另一件近足處及瓶肩刻較大片花瓣，售於紐約蘇富比2000年9月20日，編號95；第三件牡丹飾紋較大，圖見《安宅コレクション東洋陶磁名品図錄》，東京，1980年，圖版15。

其他可供比較之磁州窰剔花梅瓶，包括波士頓美術館藏品，錄於吳同，《Earth Transformed Chinese Ceramics in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston》，波士頓，2001年，頁63；一件存於 John D. Rockefeller 三世收藏，圖見《Treasures of Asian Art: The Asia Society's Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection》，紐約，1994年，頁161，編號154；另一例載於康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，倫敦，1994-2010年，卷3，編號1540；大都會藝術博物館現展出二例，載於 Suzanne G. Valenstein，《A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics》，紐約，1989年，彩圖14，編號88。再可參考一磁州梅瓶例，售於紐約蘇富比2015年3月17及18日，編號173。另一件由遼寧省出土破片修復而成，見《朝陽營州路出土瓷器》，北京，2011年，圖錄封面及圖74。