A JUNYAO LOTUS-BUD-SHAPED JAR AND COVER
Jin dynasty
Superbly potted with a bulbous body, gently tapering towards the circular mouth, the interior and exterior glazed with a pale-blue glaze with some darker streaks and iron-spots and thinning to a mushroom tone at the rim, the glaze pooling above the slightly spreading grey-bodied foot that has fired to an oxidized red where the glaze meets the body, the concave cover centered by a bud-like finial.
4 3/4in (12cm) high overall
Footnotes:
金 鈞窯天藍釉蓮苞式帶蓋水盂

Provenance:
Bonhams, New York, 14 September 2015, lot 8056

來源：
紐約邦瀚斯，2015年9月14日，拍品編號8056

It is very rare to find an example of a waterpot still with its cover. However, a closely related Junyao 'lotus bud' jar and cover with unglazed mouth rim is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, and illustrated on the museum's website, described as Jin dynasty. Another Junyao jar with purple splashes also retaining its cover and described as Northern Song dynasty, 11th-12th century, is illustrated by G. Eskenazi, A Dealer's Hand: The Chinese Art World Through the Eyes of Giuseppe Eskenazi, London, 2012, pp.287, pl.283.

Other examples of Jun waterpots without covers include one previously in the collection of Robert Chang sold at Sotheby's, London, 12 May 2010, lot 145; another sold at Christie's Hong Kong, The Sound of Jade and the Shadow of a Chrysanthemum, sale 3323, 28 May 2014, lot 3220 and another also sold at Christie's, Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2277.

The simple rounded forms of Jun wares complement the depth and complexity of the opalescent glaze.

The result of thermoluminescence test 2055NK14 dated 30 November 2001, C&C Authentication Laboratory Limited, Hong Kong, is consistent with the dating of this pot; and Oxford Authentication thermoluminescence test P119a14 is consistent for the cover.

PLEASE NOTE: This report describes, but may not be limited to, major condition issues for the lot.

The Jun jar and cover is in good condition. Cover fits well proportionally and the body of jar and cover appears to match. It is rare to find jar of this 'lotus-bud' shape complete with cover.

The glaze color is slightly more sky blue compare to the illustrations on the website. One pin hole to glaze and a few 'iron spots' to glaze, all original to the firing. Minute chips to edges of ring foot of jar and of cover but do not interfere with viewing.

The results of thermoluminescence tests (C&C Hong Kong 2055NK14 and Oxford London P119a14) are consistent with the dating of the jar and cover. The test sample drill hole under the cover is now filled for aesthetic reason.