YUAN-EARLY MING DYNASTY

Of compressed globular form supported on three partially unglazed cabriole legs, rising to a short straight neck flanked by a pair of upright rectangular handles, the interior covered with an attractive even speckled lavender glaze thinning to a mushroom color at the everted mouth rim and the extremities of the handles, the exterior mottled with an irregular splash of purple.

Junware has been highly sought after by connoisseurs across centuries. Historically, its inception originated in Yuxian, Henan, its production subsequently spread to Hebei, Shanxi and the inner Mongolia during the Jin and Yuan dynasties. In essence, it was not until the Ming dynasty that Junware is recorded in literary sources such as the Songsi jiagui bu (The Rules of the Song Family) by Song Xu and in Lidai mingci tupu (Catalogue of Famous wares of the Dynasties) by Bian Yuanxiang. The typical tripod censer has a compressed globular body where the lower section are unglazed to emphasize their the thickness of the glaze. The vertical handle on the side of the tripod censor was an imitation of bronze ding tripods, a feature introduced during the Yuan dynasty. Compare with a large handle censor with an exceptionally thick glaze found in Hohhot, Inner Mogolia, illustrated in Ancient Jun ware from the Yip Collection, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, 2008, pl.105, pp.164 and 165. This vessel is inscribed and dated to 1309 and similar to the present lot, the exquisite purple splash greatly complements the pale blue glaze, where the unglazed bottom exposes the thickness of the glaze and the flambé effects. Compare with another Junyao censer of similar form, illustrated in Ceramics Gallery of the Palace Museum, Taipei, 2009, p.215, pl.195. See also a closely related example sold in Christie's New York, 22 March 1999, lot 260.

H 7.3 cm