這件定窰白釉牡丹紋瓜稜龍首鏤空柄執壺是早期定窯白瓷中一個異常精緻的例子。它的圖案設計呈現十分強烈的立體感，有別於中後期的工藝手法，結合了神獸與自然的形式，整體設計優雅。
全世界範圍內僅有一例安宅英一舊藏的梅瓶（缺瓶口）採用同類的工藝手法，釉色白皙溫潤，雕刻立體，與五代高級耀州窯做法相似。
這件器物1994年出現在拍賣場，將近30年後的2021年再次在紐約蘇富比上拍。由於當時恰逢疫情期間，許多人都無法到現場，這件器物僅以257萬人民幣左右成交，知識、眼力、品位、魄力造就了一次教科書式的撿漏。
This white-glazed Ding kiln bottle with a peony motif and a dragon's head on a reticulated handle is an exceptionally fine example of early white porcelain from the Ding kiln. It has a very strong, high relief three-dimensional design that distinguish itself from the mid- to late-period technique, combining mythical creatures with naturalistic forms and motif of overall elegance.
There is only one other example in the world, from the old collection of Eiichi Ataka, of a meiping (‘plum vase’) (missing the mouth) with a similar technique, with a pale white, translucent glaze and three-dimensional high relief carving, similar to that used at the high-grade Yaozhou kilns of the Five Dynasties. This Ewer was auctioned in 1994 and appeared at Sotheby's New York in 2021, nearly 30 years later, during the pandemic, and was sold for around RMB 2.57 million. Knowledge, Taste, Passion and Conviction in combination was required for any buyer to hold custodian to such a fine and highly sought after item.
一件比例非常相似，但把手簡單得多（也許是替換的），花朵的設計也稍微簡單一點的壺載於Oscar Rücker-Embden, Chinesische Frühkeramik, Leipzig, 1922, 插圖24，附雕刻的線條圖，插圖25，來自作者的收藏，後來收藏在德累斯登國立陶瓷博物館。
也可以比較河北省定縣博物館藏的一件龍頭嘴相似，但頸部更寬，把手更簡單的壺，見《北萱書齋藏定窯瓷器》，香港，2013，圖27。而另一件側面有角、蓮瓣重疊、龍嘴非常相似的壺則稍高（18.7 厘米），藏於巴黎吉美博物館，插圖見美野裕隆，《白瓷》，第 5 卷，東京，1998 年，圖版 40。
此器底部的花瓣圖案也出現在唐代的白釉邢器碗上，原為 Percival David 基金會收藏，現藏於倫敦大英博物館 (博物館編號：PDF.182)。由於邢器與定器的相似性，這件大維德基金會的碗以前被認為是宋代的定器，近年來才根據其釉色和其他特性確定為更早時期和窯址的產品。另一件刻有這種圖案的定器，請參閱河北省保定市曲陽縣出土的一件有類似花瓣圖案的盒子，並在《定器，白色優雅的世界，最近的考古發現》中展出和說明，大阪，2013，頁121，圖14。
北宋早期定窰白釉牡丹紋瓜稜龍首鏤空柄執壺
35.28萬美金（257萬人民幣）
A Finely Carved And Molded 'Ding' Dragon Head Ewer with Reticulated Handle, Northern Song Dynasty
Auction Closed
September 23, 12:06 AM HKT
Estimate
200,000 - 300,000 USD
Lot Sold
352,800 USD
the hexalobed spherical body surmounted by a tall cylindrical, slightly waisted neck, one side applied with an openwork triple-strap loop handle with raised bosses terminating in a delicately molded beast-mask at the base, opposite a finely articulated dragon head with a curving elongated spout extending from its open mouth, a column of bosses on the underside of the spout, the body deftly carved with two lush peony blossoms on a meandering leafy scroll in relief, above petal lappets encircling the base, all under a translucent cool white glaze
Height 7¾ in., 17.8 cm
狀況報告
Restoration to the tip of the spout as well as hairline cracks and small chips on the handle, with associated areas of overspray. A vertical glaze line at the shoulder approx. 4 cm long. A very minor flake to the foot wall approx. 0.4 cm across. There is a firing tear across the base, also visible in the interior.
流末梢經修，手把有數條沖線及小磕，連帶周圍經噴漆。肩部一直向釉線約4公分長。足部有一極輕微脫落約0.4公分。底有窰裂，也可見於內底。
出處
Offered at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 1st November 1994, lot 5.
來源
上拍於香港蘇富比1994年11月1日，編號5
The present ewer is an unusually fine and elaborate example from a small group of early white wares with carved designs. Its motifs are individually modeled and combine mythical and natural forms, with the latter informed by direct observation of native flora, contributing to the overall elegance of the design. An ewer of very similar proportions but with a much simpler handle (perhaps replaced) and slightly simpler design of the flowers is illustrated in Oscar Rücker-Embden, Chinesische Frühkeramik, Leipzig, 1922, col. pl. 24, with a line drawing of the carving, pl. 25, from the author's collection and later in the Staatliche Porzellansammlung, Dresden.
Compare also an ewer with a similar dragon-head spout but with a much wider neck and simpler handle in the Ding County Museum, Hebei province, illustrated in Ding Yao Ceramics from the Beixuan Shuzhai Collection, Hong Kong, 2013, fig. 27. And another ewer with angled sides, overlapping lotus petals, and very similar dragon spout, standing slightly taller (18.7 cm), is in the Musée Guimet, Paris, illustrated in Mino Yutaka, Hakuji [White Porcelain], vol. 5. Tokyo, 1998, pl. 40.
The petal design on the base of this vessel is also present on a white-glazed Xing ware bowl from the Tang dynasty, formerly in the Percival David Foundation Collection, and now in the British Museum, London (museum no. PDF.182). Due to the similarity between Xing and Ding wares, this bowl was previously believed to be a Ding ware of the Song dynasty, and only in recent years has it been identified a product of the earlier period and kiln site based its glaze and other properties. For another Ding ware carved with this motif, see a box with a similar petal design excavated in Quyang County, Baoding City, Hebei Province and exhibited and illustrated in Ding Ware, The World of White Elegance, Recent Archaeological Findings, Osaka, 2013, p. 121, pl. 14.
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