having a ribbed body, two applied ring handles with animal masks, flared foot, crackle glaze, intricate detail in the shape of the leaf, ending to a bloom with petals at the mouth of the vase, 10-3/4 in.

Note: Yue ware, first made in the Han dynasty (206 BCE?220 CE) in China, was the earliest celadon; the glaze used was olive or brownish green. The celadon, greenish ceramic glaze is used for the glaze on the stoneware, and for the article so glazed. It is particularly valued in China, Korea, Thailand, and Japan (Britannica). The lotus? importance comes its status as one of the eight precious things in Buddhism. The lotus is said to bloom in Beijing on lunar April 8 (the Buddha?s birthday) and lunar January 8 is Lotus Day.

Provenance: Private Collection, Colorado

flaking to glaze, wear and accretion to base, scratching, scuffing, spotting