Qingbai Ewer and Lion-Finial Cover, Song Dynasty

The ewer features a globular body with a straight spout and an arched handle, creating a sense of balanced stability. Four vertical incised lines run evenly along the body, relieving the surface of monotony while adding structural tension.

The vessel is entirely covered in a transparent qingbai glaze. Under light, a subtle bluish hue emerges as the glaze blends with the fine white body beneath, producing a soft and refined atmosphere. This is a quintessential qingbai color tone, with its clear, luminous quality representing one of the most highly regarded glaze types within the tradition.

A three-dimensional lion finial is seated atop the cover, serving both as a practical handle and as a decorative element. The foot is low and solid, with the base left unglazed to reveal the whitish body clay. Natural firing traces, including iron spots, as well as oxidation and surface marks from burial, remain visible on the base.

Period : Northern Song-Yuan Dynasty(12th-14th century)
Type : Ewer
Medium : Qingbai
Size : 20cm(Height), 3cm(Mouth Diameter)
Condition : Good
Provenance : Acquired in late 1990s from Hongkong
Reference :
1) Sotheby's Hongkong -01 December 2016 - Lot 510 - A QINGBAI EWER, COVER AND WARMING BOWL SONG DYNASTY
(Price realised : 400,000 HKD / Type : Closely Related)
https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/chinese-art-hk0681/lot.510.html

2) Christies Hongkong - 21 MAY – 4 JUN 2024 - Lot 3176 - A QINGBAI EWER AND COVER, SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY (1127-1279)
(Price realised : 88,200 HKD / Type : Related)
https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/pavilion-online-chinese-art/qingbai-ewer-cover-3176/222907

3) Sotheby's Hongkong - 12 - 20 May 2025 - Lot 3462 - A qingbai 'lotus' ewer and cover, Southern Song dynasty
(Price realised : 114,300 HKD / Type : Related)
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/china-5000-years-3/a-qingbai-lotus-ewer-and-cover-southern-song