Commenting is deactivated.

Please post all new topics and queries to the
Discussion Forum

possible ming bowl

by Ryan
(Thailand)

Hello.. Here is another possible Ming bowl?? Perhaps you have seen this design before? Unfortunately the bowl has a couple of small chips on the upper rim.
I am wondering about another quality issue with this piece and many others that I have seen it in. Inside the bowl where the food sits.. there are many bits of debris stuck in the glaze. This bowl has so much that it would seem difficult to eat properly from it and I am surprised that it would have been shipped. I am wondering if it is ash from the kiln??

Thanks for helping in our porcelain education!!

Ryan

Comments for possible ming bowl

Click here to add your own comments

late Ming?
by: peter

Late Ming dynasty, I would think... no I have never seen such a peculiar decoration.
The debris you mention does not surprise me. A lot of Ming bowls were soiled like this, many were deformed or had splits. I have one with a split going through the bottom. But apparently it has been used otherwise it would have become a kiln waster. Actually, it looks as if some clay had been filling the split, but it is now mostly gone. This means they used the item with no or only a low firing.
Generally, processing in the kilns was not very developed at those times, quality-wise. But, as porcelain was precious then everything was used if possible, especially by the common folks. Yours is just another example of this.

Ash doesn't look like that. It causes fine gray spots within the glaze.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Ask a Question or Contribute - archived 2013.

search by keyword