Marchant has always handled, published, exhibited and advertised early wares but until now, these pieces have not been the focal point of an exhibition. This show has come from the rise in demand for early ceramics, thanks to increasing numbers of collections and exhibitions at museums and dealers. This has created new collectors in the field, and so a carefully curated show has been gradually built on the subject matter.
As with all Marchant exhibitions, their priorities are authenticity, quality and provenance. There are 35 pieces in the exhibition; thirteen come from the collection of The Honourable Justice Robert Tang, a well-known collector of Song ceramics, the majority also have provenance published in the catalogue. The Cizhou meiping (no. 29) with beautiful hand painted peony blooms is one piece from this collection.
The remarkable large Tang falconer, the cover piece (no. 8) measuring 62.5 cm high, was de- accessioned from the Manno Museum of Art in Japan and is both impressive and dignified. The two very fine Jian ware tea bowls (nos. 23 & 24) come from The Feng Wen Tang Collection, and are the two finest examples from a large group purchased from her collection.
The Longquan celadon dish with relief biscuit fish (no. 34) is of particular note as it is rare to find a perfect Song Dynasty dish of this type, the colour is bright and even and the fish are well defined.
The exhibition will be on display at Marchant’s gallery:
120 Kensington Church Street, W8 4BH from 29th October – 16th November, coinciding with Asian Art Week in London 2018, 1st – 10th November 2018.
Gallery and Exhibition opening times:
Monday-Friday 10:00-18:00
Saturday 3rd November 10:00-21:00, late night opening Sunday 4th November 10:00-18:00
Above No. 23
Chinese Jian ware temmoku ‘hare’s fur’ tea bowl of conical form.
5 inches, 12.8 cm diameter.
Southern Song Dynasty, Jian kilns, Fujian Province, 12th century.
• The Feng Wen Tang Collection.
No. 29
Chinese white ground vase of meiping form painted on the body with three freely drawn peony blooms on branches with leaves.
15 inches, 38.1 cm high.
Northern Song – Jin Dynasty, Cizhou kilns, Hebei or Shanxi Province, 12th century.
• Formerly in the collection of The Honourable Mr. Justice Robert Tang Kwok-ching, SBS, The Xiwenguozhai Collection.
No. 8
Large Chinese chestnut glazed standing figure of a falconer.
24 5/8 inches, 62.5 cm high.
Tang Dynasty, 8th century.
• From the collection of the Manno Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan.
• Included by Christie’s Paris in their auction of Asian Art, The Property of the Manno Museum of Art, Osaka, 26th November 2002, lot no. 215, p. 120.
No. 34
Chinese Longquan celadon small deep dish, applied in the centre with two biscuit fired fish swimming in opposite directions.
5 1⁄2 inches, 14 cm diameter.
Southern Song Dynasty, Longquan kilns, Zhejiang Province, 13th century.
• Formerly in the collection of The Honourable Mr. Justice Robert Tang Kwok-ching, SBS, The Xiwenguozhai Collection.
