A Rare Korean Goryeo Dynasty Black and Cream-Glazed Stoneware Tea Bowl with Five Spur Marks

An authentic and rare medieval Korean stoneware tea bowl dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392 CE). This vessel showcases a highly unusual and aesthetically striking two-tone glaze combination, designed to emulate the prestigious Chinese Song Dynasty tea ceremony vessels while executing localized Goryeo kiln techniques. The exterior of the bowl is cloaked in a thick, lustrous iron-rich black glaze that flows downwards into rich, dark chocolate and manganese-brown "persimmon-skin" tones, interspersed with microscopic golden-brown iron crystalline flecks. In sharp contrast, the interior is finished in a pale, creamy-white slip glaze under a beautiful, dense network of natural age-related crazing (crackle glaze). The interior well features the definitive hallmark of premium Goryeo ceramic production: a ring of five distinct circular clay spur scars (naehwato bijim batchim), left by the refractory clay ball supports used during stacked firing in the kiln. The bowl rests on a cleanly pared, narrow ring foot. The exposed clay body reveals a dense, fine-grained light buff-grey stoneware profile typical of the historic Goryeo kilns. Height: 2.5 in. Diameter: 7 in. Provenance: Collection from Professor of University of Chicago in IL USA .

Condition
Excellent antique condition. The bowl is structurally sound with an intact, smooth rim and superb glaze gloss. Free from hairline cracks, structural chips, or modern restorations. Displays expected minor kiln imperfections, pinholes, and natural wear to the unglazed foot ring consistent with its great antiquity.