27. M4754

• From a Japanese private collection.
• Sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in their auction of Chinese Art, 29th–30th November 2018, lot 406, 73.
• The poem reads:

You wu zhang yun xi, qi wen sheng zhang li. Nian dong kan zeng yuan, xing chu yuan ti xie
And translates:
This (bamboo) grows in seclusion by the misty stream,
Its unique pattern and texture make it ideal for a walking cane.
As a gift for a friend who is departing during the wintertime of the year, I wish it could support you wherever you go.

• A similar pillow, possibly the companion with a different poem was included by the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo, in their Exhibition of Chinese Ceramics, 1992, colour plate 32.
• A pillow of this form and size with a central flower and leaves was included by the Idemitsu Museum of Art in their exhibition of Cizhou Ware of China, Its Charm and Taste, 2005, no. 52, p. 36; another in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Avery Brundage Collection, B60 P421, was illustrated by Mary Tregear in Song Ceramics, no. 89, p. 91; another of this form and size with floral decoration is illustrated in The Illustrated Catalogue of the Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics, no. 288, p. 70; five pillows of this form and size are illustrated by the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, in their exhibition of Chinese Ceramic Pillows from the Yeung Wing Tak Collection, 1984, nos. 75-79, pp. 195-197 & 48/9.
• It has been confirmed by Yukio Nakamura of Shogado, Kyoto, that this pillow was probably handled by his father, Tadanori Nakamura.

Two corner chips, two edge chips and one flake to the top surface restored, a star crack to the left side extending to the upper edge retouched, minute flakes to the rim and tiny nicks to the edge of the base, age cracks cleaned and other firing flaws.