China, 960-1127. Elegantly potted with flared sides supported on a neatly cut, slightly splayed foot, and covered overall in a glossy persimmon-colored glaze thinning towards the upper rim, the russet-brown glaze variegated with patches of black-brown. The foot rim left unglazed revealing the creamy-white ware.

Provenance: New York trade. Acquired from a noted private collection.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear and manufacturing flaws including uneven glazing and pitting.

Weight: 106.7 g
Dimensions: Diameter 13.2 cm

Persimmon glazes were made at several northern Chinese kilns during the Song and early Jin periods, including the Ding and Yaozhou kilns, and seem to have been especially admired on vases and vessel forms associated with the tea ceremony. Although the Yaozhou kilns are most commonly associated with celadon-glazed wares and black and white wares, a small number of fine persimmon-glazed Yaozhou wares have been preserved.

Literature comparison:
Compare four related examples included in the major exhibition of Yaozhou ware at the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka in 1997, illustrated in The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, pp. 40-1 and 44, nos. 47, 48, 50, and 56.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 9
Price: HKD 375,000 or approx. EUR 48,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Yaozhou persimmon-glazed bowl Northern Song dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, glaze, and size (13.8 cm).