Emperor's Choice Northern Song Dynasty Celadon Glaze Imperial Ru-ware Double Gourd Vase (WORLD CLASS) Joseph.Sharon@chinesemasterpieces.com
This Highly Prized Ru-Kiln Double Gourd Vase is among a group of wares that were the first wares made exclusively for the Emperor and the Chinese Court. Ru Imperial official wares with the simple aspects of finely potted forms, and spectacular glaze, set the scene of elegance for the Song Dynasty Court. This Imperial Double Gourd Vase measures 10 3/8" tall it has a very refined balanced form that flares out around the mouth and base. The beautiful glaze is reported to have crushed agate powder in the mix, this gave the glaze some texture. The Double Gourd Vase was made with a fine buff-grayish body that has turned brown on the foot after firing. It has a beautiful luminous glossy yet natural texture fine cracked ice glaze that thins out around the mouth. Depending on the light the vase will look (CELADON, or the SKY AFTER A RAIN) a grayish greenish color in warm light, and grayish bluish greenish color in daylight. All typical of the finest glaze that was used on the best Imperial Chinese Court Ru-ware. This piece is from a surviving hoard of N. Song Imperial Ru-Ware!!! ppjrs
During the first Emperors reign the Ru-kiln was selling wares to the public and offering tribute wares to the Emperor and his court. The tribute wares are surely the wares with the fire gilded bands. The pieces in the British museum are questionable most have firing flaws and they would have surely been sold to the public. The British museum also believes all Ru ware used crushed Agate stone in there mix, this is not true during the first Emperors reign. The Ru Kiln only used crushed agate during the second Emperors reign, when he requested them to make wares for only him and his court. These Celadon wares were exclusively made for the Emperor and his court and clearly show the texture in the glaze from the crushed agate stone, Also you can clearly see traces of the agate stone in the glaze with a 20x loupe. The only true Ru Yao wares that were commissioned by the second Emperor Huizong are the Celadon Wares with the agate stone in the glaze with the unglazed foot rings. All the other Ru ware pieces are either tribute wares, prototypes, wares sold to wealthy merchants, or flawed pieces that were sold to the population.