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2584. (NA 73)

[[stamp]] SMITHSONIAN. [[/stamp]] 1742

One Celadon Bowl. Korai. Korean.

Dense, light-colored, paste showing white under a small blister and light gray under the harder firing of the foot. Clossly crackled celadon glaze with a soft luminosity, it's tons varying from light gray to the characteristic pure grayish sea-green; glaze continued underneath the foot. Around the bottom of the interior, and on the exterior near the foot and underneath it, the glaze shows a delicate creamy frosting of decay. The bowl is of flaring ovoidal from on a low recessed foot, and the upper sides are modeled by impression from the exterior into six broad foils or lobes, lightly indicated at the rim by delicate indentions. The entire interior surface, below an incised ring under the rim, is occupied by a conventional floral decoration boldly designed, incised and modeled in the paste, the gracefully scrolled leaves being noticeably well executed. A small fire crack appears at the rim, and near it a triangular repair with gold lacquer. On the exterior small attachments of furnace slag are retained at four points outside the foot and one point underneath it. 
Height, 2 1/4-2 1/2"; diameter, 7 5/8".

Purchased from Yamanaka & Co., New York, Voucher 
$11 May, 1919, 35.00

2585. (NA 111)

[[stamp]] SMITHSONIAN. [[/stamp]] 1743

One Water Bottle. Tang. Chinese. 
Fuchien Ch'ai-yao; (Japanese, Tenmoku).

Hard, grayish paste, but dull sonority. Globular, or more accurately a full-bodied inverted pear shape, with flat foot, and short cylindrical neck, the neck encircled about midway by a bold molding. Coated with a glaze of soft brownish-black of unctuous luster, which is interrupted by a reserved decoration of conventional plant forms, appearing in a soft brownish underglaze wash. The decoration is generously distributed over shoulder and body. Just below one of the decorative figured on one side the biscuit is pierced by a narrow horizontal aperture one-half inch long, and the neck shows a slight restoration just under the lip. 
Height, 8".
Wood stand. 

Purchased from Yamanaka & Co., New York, Voucher 
$11 May, 1918, 150.00

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-10 06:39:54