Proto-porcelain. China, presumably Song Dynasty, 12th to 13th cent.
Bottle form with elegant, sweeping neck, mouth in the shaped of a ribbed bulb. Finely toned glaze is light Qingbai with compact craquelé. Angular, offset foot; relief on the body is spiritedly carved and depicts on one side a long-tailed dragon surrounded by clouds; on the other side a phoenix with flaming plumage – both heavenly creatures. The dragon has a snake-like body with triple split tail, the ends with volutes. Between these mythical creatures on each side is the three-dimensional mask of a creature with human features, but demonic expression. In the recesses, the mostly clear glaze takes on a einen blue-green tone. The bottom is unglazed and in craftmanship typical of the period indicated. According to age flawless condition.é³³é¾ç´‹åŽŸå§‹ç“·å™¨ç“¶ã€‚中國，約宋代，12至13世紀。高25厘米，直徑15.7厘米。德國舊è—。
HEIGHT 25 CM, DM 15,7 CM
From an old German private collection