A SMALL PURPLE-SPLASHED JUN-GLAZED DISH, JIN TO YUAN DYNASTY
China, 1115-1368. Thickly potted with shallow rounded sides rising from a short foot to a broad everted rim with a gently raised lip. Covered overall in a rich, finely crackled, sky-blue glaze thinning to mushroom at both raised edges of the rim, finely pooling to the underside around the unglazed foot revealing the brown ware, and decorated to the interior with three distinct purple splashes, one with a small patch of dark-green oxidation.


Expert’s note:
The present dish shows a small patch of very dark green precipitated among one of the purple clouds, which has been noted to occur due to high concentration of copper oxide. See Rosemary Scott, Imperial Taste: Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation, London, 1989, page 39. The glaze is of remarkably quality and the dish displays exceptionally.


Provenance:
French trade. Acquired from an old estate in northern France, by repute.

Condition:
Excellent condition with some ancient wear and expected firing irregularities, such as small glaze recesses to the base, and a single copper oxide spot to the rim.

Weight: 197.9 g
Dimensions: Diameter 12.5 cm


Jun wares were produced at various kiln sites in Henan province
and two of the main centers of production were in the modern-day cities of Yuzhou and Ruzhou. Jun has been classified by later connoisseurs as one of the ‘Five Great Wares of the Song Dynasty’ and is celebrated for its bold forms, sophisticated glazes, and innovative usage of color. The dramatic use of purple and red decoration is one of the major innovations of the Jun kilns. Purple splashes, like those seen on the present dish, were produced by the addition of copper oxide to the surface of the unfired glaze. In areas where the concentration of copper is high enough for it to re-oxidize superficially on cooling, the color sometimes turns to a distinct dark green, almost black tone.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 28 July 2020, lot 123
Price: GBP 11,312.50 or approx.
EUR 17,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Jun ware purple-splashed dish, Yuan dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form and glaze, similarly crackled and thinning to mushroom at the outer edge of the rim, albeit not at the inner edge like on the present lot. Note the closely related size (13 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 6 April 2015, lot 140
Price: HKD 625,000 or approx.
EUR 85,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A purple-splashed Jun dish, Jin-Yuan dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form and glaze, similarly thinning to mushroom at the edges and with similar purple splashes. Note the slightly narrower rim and the size (18 cm).




金至元鈞窯紫斑折沿小盤

中國，1115-1368年。折沿，週壁極淺，平底，淺圈足。全器滿釉支燒，外底留有圓點狀支痕。通體罩施天藍色釉，藍釉泛青，釉面紫紅色斑紋。釉質均勻，底緣及口部沿邊皆成米黃色。


來源：
法國古玩交易，據說是從法國北部的一處老莊園購得的。

品相：
狀況極好，有一些磨損、製造不規則，底部有小釉凹槽，邊緣有一個氧化銅點。

重量：197.9 克
尺寸：直徑 12.5 厘米


拍賣比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦翰斯，2020年7月28日，lot 123
價錢：GBP 11,312.50（相當今日
EUR 17,000
）
描述：元代鈞窯紫斑折沿盤
專家註釋：比較相近的外形和釉面，以及邊緣外緣也有類似的裂紋並變薄，外底留有圓點狀支痕，但內緣不像本拍品那樣。請注意非常相近的尺寸 (13 厘米)。


拍賣比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2015年4月6日，lot 140
價錢：HKD 625,000（相當今日
EUR 85,500
）
描述：金/元鈞窯天藍釉紫斑盤
專家註釋：比較相近的外形、釉面，以及邊緣外緣也有類似的裂紋並變薄，外底留有圓點狀支痕，並有相似的紫斑。請注意盤沿較窄和尺寸 (18 厘米)。