From a French private collection I bought this lovely small bowl. This piece is 10 cm. across, and is heavy potted from a yellowish clay. It has a white slip, covered with a red and green decoration, which are painted over a clear glaze.

These polychrome overglaze painted bowls are quite rare, and this small piece is a bit different from the average piece. It has a good provenance from a trusted English dealer, with paperwork, and the dealer claims he bought it at Chrisie’s London.

Although it was dated by Christies, and the dealer as Song dynasty, it is probably Jin dynasty,1115-1234 A.D.

The colours are green from copper oxide and red from iron oxide. They were applied after the first firing over a clear glaze. So the colours would survive a second firing at lower temperature.

collection-nr 10-2013