1100s–1200s
Stoneware with black “hare’s fur” glaze and metal-bound rim, Jian ware
Diameter: 17.8 cm (7 in.); Overall: 8.7 cm (3 7/16 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1948.206
The reddish-brown streaks and spots have been affectionately termed "hare's fur" among connoisseurs.
With its exceptional size, this Fujian tea bowl is rather rare. The enjoyment of Jian ware rests with the glaze transmutation due to the iron imperfections in the glaze, which developed into reddish-brown streaks and spots against a rich black glaze after firing. Connoisseurs called these iron formations "hare’s fur" marks, and the ware was very popular with the tea cultures in China and Japan.
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