Censer with fish-shaped handles and light celadon glaze.

Ko ware, Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1279)
Height: 6.8 cm, Depth: 5.6 cm, Diameter of mouth: 11.3 cm, Diameter of foot: 8.1 cm, Circumference of belly: 36.0 cm

This censer was made in imitation of the ancient bronze kuei vessel. The handles are in the shape of fish, and the base is flat inside a ring foot. The dark brown clay is visible in a single ring of six spur-marks on the base and five spur marks on the interior. Except where it is thinner around the mouth, the glaze on this vessel is thick and lustrous. The surface of the vessel is netted with a fine light brown crackle, and there are large and small translucent air bubbles beneath the glaze. There are areas of contracted glaze on both the base and the interior. The foot ring is narrow and dark brown.

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