Precious Sothern Song Longquan Ceramics: Kinuta Meiping. Yanchu Zhao

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1 Zhao 1 Precious Sothern Song Longquan Ceramics: Kinuta Meiping Yanchu Zhao Museum and Art Market 11/18/15

2 Zhao 2 fig.1 fig.2 fig.3 fig.4

3 Zhao 3 The Longquan Celadon Kinuta meiping (fig.1) is a very rare and valuable Song ceramics showing extremely skillful workmanship from Southern Song-Yuan Dynasty ( ). Its well-potted shape covered with a glaze of soft olive-green tone displays an attenuated elegance from shoulder to foot. From its place of origin, the rarity of its form and color, the high value of its comparable works, its comprehensive historical record showing the authenticity and careful preservation, and its strong market demand throughout time, the price of the work should go even beyond the extortionate price of most recently sold meipings from Longquan Kiln in Southern Song-Yuan Dynasty, and would exceed the estimated price range from $300,000 to $500,000, or fall within the range but closer to $500, According to the Collecting Guide: Song Ceramics, the value of the Song ceramics is first based on the kiln where the object was originally made. 2 The most precious ceramics usually come from Ru, Guan, Ge, Ding, Jun, Longquan, Yaozhou and Cizhou. 3 Among different ceramics from various periods of time, Longquan celadons, in particular, are 1 Rosemary Scott, A Rare Longquan Celadon Kinuta Meiping, Christie s Auction Results rom=salesummary&intobjectid= &sid=6192fecb c0-ba68-bba2c02ebdf9 2 Jessica Chang, Collecting Guide: Song Ceramics, Christie s The Art People Chang, Christie s The Art People.

4 Zhao 4 popular on the market, said Jessica Chang, a specialist in the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art department at Christie s New York. Because during the Song-Yuan dynasty, the productions in the kilns were heavily monitored and the accesses to the wares were very limited to specific groups of people, and imperfect pieces were destroyed to keep them from ever being circulated, the works that could be kept till today are all very exquisitely made and carefully preserved. 4 The Kinuta meiping was made at the popular Longquan kiln in southern Zhejiang Province, a prosperous place has important influence both at home and aboard. From the ports in the southeast of China to Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and coast line of East Africa, you can see the traces of Longquan Celadon everywhere, Chen Qiaoyi stated in Toponymy of Longquan County. 5 Also, Longquan kiln came to its golden age in the Middle and Late time of the Southern Song Dynasty period, the time when the Kinuta meiping was made, and the technique reached its peak of perfection. 6 In this sense, the Kinuta meiping came from a premium source of origin at a time when the kiln produced its highest quality works. 4 Chang, Christie s The Art People. 5 Qiaoyi Chen, History of Chinese Longquan Celadon. Cultural China. china.com/en/3a9825a13835.html 6 Fabiowzgogo, Chinese Longquan Celadon China Travel. longquan- celadon.htm

5 Zhao 5 Another important element that determines the price of Song ceramics is the rarity of its elegant form and proportion. 7 As Chang explained, each kiln has its own specialization in specific forms and types of glaze, and the difference between each work is sometimes hard to discern and a specific vocabulary of kiln, glaze type, and form was established to discern the meticulous differences, considering that numerous copies were made of each piece, both during the same period of time and long after the value of the masterpiece had already been recognized. If the glaze type does not match the form, then this is a big red flag. In regard to Song ceramics, the beauty of the vase lies greatly in their simplicity and luscious glazes. The Kinuta Meiping has an elegant and slim tapering body surmounted by a thin cylindrical neck with rounded rim. The entire bottle is covered allover in an even glaze of slightly bluish, sea-green color. The foot rim is unglazed but the line separating the paint and the bottom is even and exquisite. 8 Scott emphasized its distinct and rare beauty in the article A Rare Longquan Celadon Kinuta Meiping that, The silhouettes and forms are so refined, and the glazes are so subtle and pure that it is easy to incorporate these exquisite wares into any interior or collection. 7 Chang, Christie s The Art People. 8 Scott, Christie s Auction Results.

6 Zhao 6 Besides the pure and delicate form and color, this Kinuta meiping is extraordinarily valuable because even though many other vase shapes were made at the Longquan kilns during the Song and Yuan dynasties, the meiping form was remarkably rare and exceptional prior to the Ming dynasty. Besides its age, this particular meiping is one of the finest surviving examples from the period 9. Its glaze has the pure color and soft translucence, which has been so admired by collectors and connoisseurs in China and Japan for more than 700 years. The neck of the Kinuta meiping is of distinctive form, being slightly longer and more columnar than the necks seen on later examples, said Rosemary Scott, the International Academic Director at Christie s Asian Art Department. Despite the very rare existence of early Song meipings and the extraordinary quality of this particular meiping, some comparable works could still be analyzed to determine the price of the Kinuta Meiping. A similar shaped celadon meiping vase (fig.2) with a high-shouldered body surmounted by a short cylindrical neck and a flat everted rim that also from early Longquan wares of the northern Song period was sold for $212,500, with an much lower estimation of $80,000 to $100,000, on March 18 th, 2008, according to Sotheby s auction 9 Scott, Christie s Auction Results.

7 Zhao 7 record. 10 The Kinuta meiping was from the same kiln Longquan, and produced around the same period of time, so the price should be around the same range. However, as discussed above, southern Song s ceramics made at Longquan reached the peak and usually had better quality than works from other periods. Also, because of the Kinuta meiping s more elegant tapering from shoulder to foot and the extremely pure and translucent glaze throughout the vase, which is usually more valuable than the carved, pale glazed body shown in the northern example, the price of the Kinuta meiping should be higher than $212,500. Another comparable Longquan celadon meiping is the Fruit and Flowers meiping (fig.3) from Yuan Dynasty. 11 Compared with the last example, this work has a closer color but a less similar body shape. The vase has a straighter neck and a more robust body, which is relatively easier to produce in comparison with the elongated and slender shape, with a slightly longer and more columnar neck, of the Kinuta meiping. Also, the deeply carved decorations of exuberant fruits and flowers are common features of Yuan period, and subsequently less valuable than the rare translucent, glittering, and eloquently greenish body 10 A Longquan Celadon Meiping Northern Song Dynasty. Sotheby s ceramics- yang- de- tang- collection- n09338/lot.64.h tml 11 A Longquan Celadon Fruit And Flowers Meiping Yuan Dynasty. Sotheby s art- through- the- eye- of- sakamoto- goro- porcelain - hk0559/lot.3504.html

8 Zhao 8 of the Kinuta meiping. The Fruit and Flowers meiping was sold on October 8 th, 2014 for $221,760, which exceeded the estimate of $103,144 - $128,930 by a considerable amount, according to the Sotheby s record. 12 Thus, in regard with the quality and the rarity, the Kinuta meiping should be sold at a higher price than Fruit and Flowers meiping s price as well. Another comparable work with the most similar glaze and color would be the Ming Dynasty Longquan celadon meiping with a cover (fig.4), which was sold on December 1 st, 2010 for $902,516 at Christie s HK. 13 The covered meiping was made at the same kiln and during the similar time with the Kinuta meiping. Also, this work has the similar kind of lustrous glaze, smooth surface, and blue-greenish tone and an equally commanding potting and elegant shape, but a litter stouter and with a spreading foot. Despite the remarkable similarities, the meiping with a cover should be even more rare and very likely more expensive, for its square-cut rim, short conical neck, and bell-shaped cover, which has no parallel in any other work. 14 So, even though the Kinuta meiping s price should be higher 12 A Longquan Celadon Fruit And Flowers Meiping Yuan Dynasty. Sotheby s. 13 A Very Rare Ming Longquan Celadon Meiping And A Cover. Christie s The Art People very- rare- early- ming- longquan- celadon details.aspx 14 A Very Rare Ming Longquan Celadon Meiping And A Cover. Christie s The Art People.

9 Zhao 9 than the previous two examples, the price should be lower than $902,516. Also, the price realized triggered heated debate because the hammer price was much higher than the estimation of $258,692 - $388,039. Putting this into consideration, the work might involve a certain degree of speculation and bidding war, and not worth $902,516. Thus, the price of the Kinuta meiping should be notably lower than $902,516, given that the normal hammer price of the meiping with a cover would have been a little higher than the estimation, following the price trend of the most auctioned meipings, and might be around $500,000. Then, the hammer price for the Kinuta meiping could be around $400,000 to $450,000. The prices of the three comparable meipings were all realized significantly above the estimation, nevertheless the abnormally staggering price of the meiping with a cover, so the price of the Kinuta meiping might go beyond the estimation as well. But since the estimated range from $300,000 to $500,000 is very broad and the estimated price was higher than the estimation of all other three examples discussed, considering that the meiping with a cover s quality might be better than the Kinuta meiping, the price might also fall with the estimated range and closer to $500,000. Also notable is the sufficient demand and the huge market for the meipings in the last

10 Zhao 10 few years, which could be seen from the fact that their hammer prices all went far beyond the estimations. In The New York Times s article Auctions: China power in porcelain market, Souren Melikian researched a lineup of remarkable prices paid for meipings and other porcelain objects by Chinese bidders, and their continuously growing and expanding market. The rising power of China on the auction scene was spectacularly demonstrated in a sale of early Chinese porcelain, Melikian stated. 15 Regarding the issues of the authenticity and preservation, the Kinuta meiping has a clear historical record showing the work s careful preservation in the Mori family in Japan since According to Scott, from the time the Longquan celadon wares first began to be imported to Japan in Southern Song period, Japanese connoisseurs have very much treasured them, and this vase has been kept cautiously and attentively, in the collection of one of Japan s most historically important families the Mori Family, as the labels on the container indicated. 16 Given the age of the ceramics, fully intact examples are quite rare, so a good 15 Souren Melikian, The rising power of China on the auction scene was spectacularly demonstrated in a sale of early Chinese porcelain, The New York Times, Scott, Christie s Auction Results.

11 Zhao 11 restoration is definitely worth the investment, Chang noted. 17 As discussed above, the work is extremely valuable for both art historians and prominent families. Regarding the Kinuta meiping s premium kiln, remarkable rarity, painstakingly exquisite form and color, meticulous preservation, and a clear historical record showing authenticity, and the comparable works, the Kinuta meiping s price should be around $400,000 to $450,000. (The hammer price was actually $317,000) Chang, Christie s The Art People. 18 Scott, Christie s Auction Results.

12 Zhao 12 Bibliography Rosemary Scott, A Rare Longquan Celadon Kinuta Meiping, Christie s Auction Results details.aspx?from=salesummary&intObjectID= &sid=6192fecb c0-ba68-bba2c02ebdf9 Jessica Chang, Collecting Guide: Song Ceramics, Christie s The Art People Qiaoyi Chen, History of Chinese Longquan Celadon. Cultural China. A Longquan Celadon Meiping Northern Song Dynasty. Sotheby s llection-n09338/lot.64.html A Longquan Celadon Fruit And Flowers Meiping Yuan Dynasty. Sotheby s

13 Zhao 13 A Very Rare Ming Longquan Celadon Meiping And A Cover. Christie s The Art People details.aspx Souren Melikian, The rising power of China on the auction scene was spectacularly demonstrated in a sale of early Chinese porcelain, The New York Times,