Excavated from a kiln site in the Jingdezhen area of Jiangxi province. The saggar contains a fine-quality porcelain bowl cotaed in a pale blue Qingbai glaze with an incised floral decoration in its centre surrounded by combed patterns. Some catastrophe has clearly occurred during firing which has caused the bowl to overheat, to sag and warp, resulting in the glaze around its rim and underside coming into contact with the saggar and fusing the two together. Note also the build up of ash glaze to the outer wall of the saggar; such saggars were used time and time again with the ash glaze becoming thicker and thicker with each firing. Diameter 16cm. Song Dynasty (AD 960 – 1279).
Provenance: from the collection of the late Brian Page (1938-2018), the well-known Oriental art and antiques dealer from Brighton.