What 38,000,000 looks like

[Min 2,279]

(Joseph, how is your Ice Crackle glaze coming along?)

.http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/03/news/china-porcelain-antique-sothebys/index.html

Edited October 4, 2017 by Min

[Pres 1,914]

Wowwww!

 

best, Pres

[GEP 1,737]

Funny how many words they used to describe crazing, without using the word "crazing." Meanwhile to us potters, it's a fairly common thing. 

Anyhow, the fact that the bowl has survived for so long does merit some value. And I like that something simple was deemed worthy, rather than something garish and frou frou. 

[Joseph Fireborn 1,286]

2 hours ago, GEP said:

 And I like that something simple was deemed worthy, rather than something garish and frou frou. 

This is how I feel. I was surprised when I saw the picture, I was expecting something completely different. I knew it was going to be some type of old pot though. 

I personally like the other pot they sold a while ago lot better. It sold for 27M. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2012/ru-hk0367.html

@Min I haven't worked on it in a while. lol. 

Edited October 4, 2017 by Joseph F

[graybeard 29]

Jeez, when I have crazing like that I break out my hammer, maybe I should rethink that.

I have a earthenware glaze just like that blue too.

graybeard

[neilestrick 3,346]

This one held the previous record, set in 2014 at $36 million. It's way better, though, 'cause it has a chicken on it.

[Joseph Fireborn 1,286]

I remember that one. Chickens are amazing little beast. So I have to agree. Someone should put a gold decal of a chicken on that blue crackle one. 

[Judith B 60]

aaw, the chicken cup is really cute!

[Min 2,279]

but can you use the chicken cup as a frisbee?

[Judith B 60]

I'm not sure it'd fly so well ^^ event though I imagine it is quite light

[Achilles 5]

This pot is Ru ware, and there are several reasons why Ru ware is so expensive. First, it is extremely rare. There are only about 70 pieces known to exist and 20 of them are in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. What is left rarely comes on the market. As noted in the article, only  6 pieces have sold at auction since 1940.  Second, Ju ware were the first ceramics "officially" commissioned exclusively for the imperial court. Third, there is a long history of Ru ware collection. The Ru kilns were in use only for about one hundred years until the Northern Song was overrun by the Mongols and the Song court fled south. Chinese in the south were very nostalgic for the Northern Song period, and artwork that was associated with the Northern Song court quickly became a prized possession.

Ru ware is also interesting aesthetically. In addition to its simplicity, restraint, and elegant proportions, Ju pottery was the first example of an "all-over" glaze. The surface texture was intended to resemble jade. Also, although many of the pieces exhibit crazing, it is believed this was not originally intentional.  Lastly, the article describes the piece as "Chinese porcelain", but all Ju ware is actually stoneware.

[Judith B 60]

@Achilles, thank you for sharing your knowledge. What is the difference between Ru ware and Ju ware?

[terrim8 180]

They're all beautiful! 

[Achilles 5]

16 hours ago, Judith B said:

@Achilles, thank you for sharing your knowledge. What is the difference between Ru ware and Ju ware?

Good question. Actually, there is no difference in Chinese. It's just a different transliteration system. The Chinese character 汝 is pronounced like "Roo". Ju is an older transliteration system; Ru is more common today. I started using "Ju" in my post, and then realized that the article used "Ru", so I went back and changed it, but I guess I missed a couple places. Sorry for the confusion! 

[Judith B 60]

oh ok thank you

[Rae Reich 401]

Wouldn't that crackle pick up the ink if it had ever been used for brush washing? So, probably a traditional form, maybe part of a nice "presentation" desk set.  Too nice to use. 

Just seems like an impractical form for that type of deliberate glaze technique.