Lot 123
- 123
A SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY AMPHORA TANG DYNASTY |
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 USD
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Description
- Height 13 in., 33 cm
elegantly potted, the slightly splayed foot swelling to high, rounded shoulders surmounted by a tall waisted neck and everted lipped rim, set with two curved dragon-headed handles applied with spiral bosses extending from the mouth to the base of the neck, the top half amber-glazed with resist dappling and flecks of moss green, the bottom half unglazed revealing the buff fine-grained body
Provenance
Warren E. Cox, New York, 7th December 1959.
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978).
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978).
Condition
The vessel has restoration and consolidation to breaks and losses of both handles and the dragon head terminals with one ear and the tip of another ear missing. There is expected wear to the surface, most evident on the rim and handles which have some restoration to lost glaze, and there is overall characteristic crazing to the vitreous glaze and minor losses.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Known to be one of the most cosmopolitan periods in dynastic China, the Tang dynasty saw a flourishing of art inspired by the ideas, cultures and designs brought to China from distant lands over the Silk Road. The amphora form echoes the ancient Greek jar and draws from the vestiges of Hellenistic rule in the cities of western Central Asia. It has also been suggested that the shape is inspired by Roman metalwork and glass. The present vase is notable for its exceptionally graceful profile and vibrant, lustrous glaze.
Vases of this type are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc. no. 1984.483.3, and the Art Institute of Chicago, ref. no. 1924.286. Compare a few examples sold in these rooms: 8th July 1974, lot 41; 23rd October 1976, lot 192; 15th June 1983, lot 155; and 20th March 2012, lot 22. See also a related vase illustrated in R.L. Hobson, The Catalogue of the George Eumorfopoulos Collection of Chinese, Korean and Persian Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1925, vol. I, pl. LXVI, no. 326.
Vases of this type are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc. no. 1984.483.3, and the Art Institute of Chicago, ref. no. 1924.286. Compare a few examples sold in these rooms: 8th July 1974, lot 41; 23rd October 1976, lot 192; 15th June 1983, lot 155; and 20th March 2012, lot 22. See also a related vase illustrated in R.L. Hobson, The Catalogue of the George Eumorfopoulos Collection of Chinese, Korean and Persian Pottery and Porcelain, London, 1925, vol. I, pl. LXVI, no. 326.