Large Jian 'Hare's Fur' Tenmoku Tea Bowl

Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279)

The bowl thinly potted, with a narrow groove below the rim, covered overall with a lustrous glaze streaked with fine 'hare's fur' markings on the exterior and interior, the glaze stopping above the foot, revealing the chocolate brown color of the stoneware body.

H. 2 7/8 in., W. 5 3/16 in.

Note: During the firing process, the body was misshaped, creating a slightly oval rim profile. The foot rim appears to have been shaved, perhaps to add stability to the piece.

Note: Jian ware is a type of Chinese pottery originally made in Jianyang, Fujian province and is known in Japan as Tenmoku. Jian bowls with hare’s fur streaks were held in great esteem not only in China but also in Japan. It was simple stoneware, made with subtle effects in the glazes. In the Song dynasty they achieved a high prestige, especially among Buddhist monks and in relation to tea-drinking. They were also highly valued in Japan, where many of the best examples were collected. Though the ceramic body is light-colored, the wares normally are glazed in dark colors, with special effects such as the "hare's fur" "oil-spot" and "partridge feather" patterns caused randomly as excess iron in the glaze is forced out during firing.

Condition: One side has lost a portion of its glaze on the lower portion of the body approximately 2 3/4 x 1 in. (see photos)