北宋 耀州窰青釉刻花瓶

well potted with an almost spherical body rising from a tapered foot to a broad rounded shoulder, surmounted by a short waisted neck and everted flat mouth-rim, boldly carved with two neatly arranged bands, the shoulder with a band of pentagons, above a frieze of hexagons encircling the lower section, each polygon enclosing a freely rendered floral spray, all between a collar of square-cut floral lappets and a border of upright pointed petals encircling the neck and foot respectively, covered overall save for the neatly pared unglazed foot with an olive-green glaze pooling to a darker tone at the recessed areas, the glaze stopping short of the unglazed foot revealing the pale grey body

It is in overall good condition except for a few firing flaws mainly to one floral spray on the shoulder. There are some typical tiny nicks to the inner footring.
"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."

此青釉刻花瓶，出陝西耀州窰，存留至今，實屬罕珍。耀州窰於宋朝時隸屬耀州，故稱。受啟於五代浙江北部越窰青瓷，耀州窰所產青瓷形美質優，於十一世紀晚期至十二世紀初，為宋宮廷御用「貢瓷」，彰顯脫俗審美。雖仿越窰，然耀州青瓷之燒製技藝、裝飾紋樣皆不拘一格，匠心獨運，不流於模仿。耀州瓷以批量燒製之盤、盌為大宗，偶見單獨創燒、紋樣精美之珍品，破費工時人力，本品即屬後者。立件瓷器因塑形、裝飾耗時長，無法覆燒，遂窰佔面積大，燒成難度極高，故而鮮有佳成，如此，本品愈顯難能可貴。

過往出版中，僅見二例可資比較：例一，器身亦刻飾相類平鋪六邊形，內綴花卉紋，屬 Michel Calmann 舊藏，現存巴黎吉美國立亞洲藝術博物館，展於東方陶瓷學會《The Arts of the Song Dynasty》，倫敦，1960年，圖版53，編號140，後再展於《如雪，如冰，如影：法國居美美術館收藏中國陶瓷特展》，國立歷史博物館，台北，1999年，編號22；例二，刻纏枝花卉紋，售於倫敦蘇富比1982年6月15日，編號249。

本品刻花紋飾精緻，佈局巧妙，與其優雅器形，完美釉色互為襯托，相得益彰，實為耀州上品。Mary Tregear 言，耀州窰與定窰窰工皆擅長以裝飾技藝表現器物之雅緻雋永。然耀州窰胎體色深，釉色青綠，故而刻花凹痕積釉處呈色較深，使得整體紋飾對比鮮明，呼之欲出（參見 Mary Tregear，《Song Ceramics》，倫敦，1982年，頁102）。

裝飾手法與本品相似器，可見一刻花執壺例，列展《耀州瓷精品》，大阪市立東洋陶瓷美術館，大阪，1997年，編號73，此展同見一耀州窰罐例，編號74。東洋陶瓷美術館另貯一耀州窰小罐例，展於《耀州窰の青磁》，大阪，1991年，編號15。此外，東京國立博物館亦存一耀州窰花口盌例，出版於《東京國立博物館圖版目錄．中國古陶瓷篇》，卷1，東京，1988年，圖版466。