Clay, 240 grams, 178 mm. Circa 1368-1644 AD. Frontal facing male servant standing upon integral two tier base, wearing long green glazed robes with long sleeves, hands clutching a short sword and scabbard. Good facial features surmounted by bun hairdo, some encrustation and loss of paint. Reference: for similar cf. Harrison-Hall BMC press 20:23. A good example in fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Clay, 355 grams, 160 mm. Circa 618-906 AD. Frontal facing male servant seated upon integral base, wearing long white robes with long sleeves. Some loss of paint, head surmounted by tall hat. Reference: for similar cf. Harrison-Hall BMC press. A good example in fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Glazed pottery, 170 grams, 124 mm x 50mm high. Circa 690 -1279 AD. A solid ceramic bowl that stands on a circular foot and is covered with a thick, viscous black and brown glaze applied in a way that allowed the two colours to mix. Sung dynasty scholars compared this type of glaze to the appearance of the fur of a black hare, hence the name "hare fur" striations. This style was the most popular during this period as it enhanced the natural colour of the tea. For practical purposes, the thick walls of the bowl also reduced the risk of burning one's hands from the hot tea, allowing the aroma to be appreciated more. Thus, bowls in black glaze such as this, a product of Chien-yang in Fukien province, were considered some of the finest utensils for the art of tea. Records also show that this ware was also admired and used at court in the Northern Sung. Reference: Mowry, R.D. Hare’s Fur, Tortoiseshell, and Partridge Feathers, Chinese Brown- and Black-Glazed Ceramics, 400-1400, Cambridge, Mass. 1995, p. 214. Hair line crack, otherwise a good example in very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.