A PAIR OF BLACK-GLAZED CUP STANDS, YAOZHOU, NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY
China, 11th-12th century. Each finely potted and supported on a tall spreading foot, flaring to a wide curved dish, surmounted by a small globular cup, applied overall in a lustrous black glaze with a slight russet tinge, stopping irregularly above the unglazed base revealing the buff ware. The cups each pierced with three gourd-form cut-outs, the feet each with three floral cut-outs.


Provenance:
Hang Tang Cheng, Dragon House, San Francisco, USA, 1998. A private collector in Toronto, Canada, acquired from the above. Two old labels, ‘N. Song 12c Henan Blackware Altar Cup Stand Pair NLM 2200 98-349(2) SL5-98-14(2). Three floral cutout upper cup and 3 on foot 3 ¼” H 5 ¼” D’, and ‘12c Altar N. Song Henan Northern Blackware Cizhou Style 98-349(2) SL5-98-14(2). Cup Stands matched pair Double melon + Floral cutouts. Superb Condition. #2200 Pr. NLM.’ A copy of a Certificate of Appraisal written and signed by Hang Tang Cheng, dated 7 August 1998, and dating the present lot to the Song dynasty, accompanies this lot. Hang Tang (Hank) Cheng is a well-respected dealer and appraiser of Asian art who ran the famous Dragon House antiques shop in San Francisco, established in 1979. Hank Cheng worked closely with museums, institutions, and auction houses including the Asian Art Museum, Bonhams, and Christie’s.

Condition:
Very good condition with some wear and firing irregularities, including glaze recesses and pitting, a tiny chip to the rim of one cup stand.

Weight: 367 g and 365 g
Dimensions: Height 9.3 cm and 9 cm

With a padded silk box and cover. (3)


The use of stands was a practical development
for the drinking of hot liquid from tea bowls without handles. In the Zu xia lu (Record of Leisurely Enjoyment) the 9th century author Li Kuangyi states that the first bowl stands were made in the Jianzong reign (AD 780-83). However, the earliest bowl stand excavated to date comes from a Jin dynasty tomb in Changsha, Hunan province. Certainly by the Song dynasty bowl stands were very popular in both lacquer and ceramics. The lacquer bowls and bowl stands were very costly, and so ceramics which copied the color and texture of lacquer were much appreciated.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 4 June 2020, lot 317
Price: HKD 125,000 or approx.
EUR 15,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare Yaozhou black-glazed cupstand, Song dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form and glaze. Note this is a single cup stand only. Also note the size (11.8 cm).




北宋一對耀州窯黑釉盞托

中國，十一至十二世紀。盞托杯圓口內斂，薄唇，深筒腹，弧壁外鼓，中空無底，下出斜敞式托盤，底出圈足，與托杯相連通，圈足上各有三個鏤空花紋飾。盞托胎壁稍厚，


來源：
美國舊金山Hang Tang Cheng，龍宮古物，上世紀九十年代；北美私人收藏購於上述藝廊。兩個舊收藏標簽 ‘N. Song 12c Henan Blackware Altar Cup Stand Pair NLM 2200 98-349(2) SL5-98-14(2). Three floral cutout upper cup and 3 on foot 3 ¼” H 5 ¼” D’與“12c Altar N. Song Henan Northern Blackware Cizhou Style 98-349(2) SL5-98-14(2). Cup Stands matched pair Double melon + Floral cutouts. Superb Condition. #2200 Pr. NLM.”隨附一份Hang Tang Cheng1998年8月7日 出具並簽名的證書複印件。Hang Tang (Hank) Cheng 是一位備受尊敬的亞洲藝術品經銷商和鑑定師，他經營著舊金山著名的 Dragon House 古董店，該店成立於 1979 年。Hank Cheng 與亞洲藝術博物館、邦瀚斯和佳士得等博物館、機構和拍賣行密切合作。

品相：
狀況極好，有一些磨損和燒製不規則之處，包括釉面凹陷和凹坑，一個杯架邊緣有微小缺口。

重量：分別367克與365克
尺寸：高9.3 厘米與9 厘米

配有内襯絲綢的蓋盒。(3)


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2020年6月4日，lot 317
價格：HKD 125,000（相當於今日
EUR 15,500
）
描述：宋耀州黑釉盞托
專家評論：比較相近的外形和釉面。請注意此為僅一隻盞托和尺寸(11.8 厘米)。