Southern Song Tenmoku bowl

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Hi All,

Need you take on this, I think its a Southern Song Tenmoku from Fujian provenience but I could be wrong.

What do you think of its condition?
Where could it be made?
When it could have been made? If Song, is there a year/ emperors rein when it comes to tenmoku?

Thanks,
Simon

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[peterp]

Black 'Tenmoku' tea bowls were predominantly made ay Jian kiln, aka Jianyang kiln, and Jizhou kiln. This bowl looks like it should be made as a Hare's fur bowl, but something went wrong. However, Jian kiln wares usually have a dark brown clay, not a yellow one. Yellow clay was used in Jizhou wares, but this bowl type is not typically for that kiln. Unless this is from a shard mound at a kiln site it could also be a fake. Please note, there are lots of fake Jian wares and new such bowls, sold as new in the Far East. They are not made at Jian kiln anymore, as far as I know. There are potters in Taiwan and Japan making them too, as far as I know.

I think checking the glaze with a magnifier might help deciding whether it is old. There is also a good chance that this was just a faulty product, but from which kiln is a bit difficult to decide with this.
As there are huge numbers of fakes, it might perhaps be useful to check Tenmoku bowls from shipwrecks which already have been dated. Anyway, with this faulty glaze the bowl could serve only as sample. Its value may be limited.

[peterp]

Maybe I should have noted that Jianyang and Jizhou kilns were the mainstream kilns for black tea bowls. There are others...some kilns in Henan seem to make black bowls and have a more likely color of clay.

[smak]

Thanks peterp, as are as photos go, its hard to determine its age correct?

[peterp]

Glaze and clay body look old, but it is difficult to estimate exactly from when, if you do not know for sure where from; the foot shape is an essential hint for that. Perhaps Jin or Yuan?

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Thanks Peterp, I have the opportunity to purchase this piece but I am not confident enough to do so. What are your thoughts?

[peterp]

One of the most difficult things for a collector is to learn to say 'no' when there is an apparent chance to get something genuine. However, something old is not always suitable for collecting, although it might be fine for a museum!

Anything damaged results in a lower value, so does an ungainly appearance. The latter can be non-removable dirt or just an inferior  appearance due to whatever reason. I think yours is not worth collecting due to its appearance.
There is always coming another chance around ...although we tend to think as if THE ONE was the only or last opportunity to get something genuine.  :)

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That is a very very interesting and good insight peterp! I think its psychological that we want it to be as good as we think it is when it isn't! Just for that experience of a good purchase! You do make a really good point, I will pass on this purchase!

Thanks again!!!