Korean ceramics @ Christie's New York

A Large Blue and White Porcelain Water Dropper in the form of a Mythical Lion (Haetae). Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Modelled as a seated lion supporting a large double-gourd bottle balanced on a tasseled saddle, the lion's mane, eye pupils, beard and tail accented by lines and dabs of underglaze blue as well as blue decorative florets and cord of the neck bell, the base of the double-gourd flask moulded with a band of lappets picked out in underglaze blue; the vessel also applied with a glossy, clear glaze; flat base unglazed; 6½ x 6¼ x 5 1/8in. (16.4 x 15.8 x 13cm.) -  Estimate $300,000 - $350,000

Notes: The long history of Korean ceramics includes a tradition of whimsical, humorous animal sculptures. In the Koryo dynasty, celadon waterdroppers were modeled in the shape of ducks, monkeys, fish-dragons and dragon-headed tortoises. A Chinese scholar who visited Korea in the twelfth century went out of his way to comment on a celadon incense burner with a charming lion perched on its cover.

For a large water dropper from the Joseon dynasty in the National Museum of Korea, Seoul, shaped as a tortoise with a dragon's head carrying a gourd-shaped bottle on its back, see Choi Sunu, National Museum of Korea, Seoul, vol. 2 of The World's Great Collections: Oriental Ceramics (Tokyo, New York and San Francisco: Kodansha International Ltd., 1982), fig. 284.

A Large Blue and White Porcelain Dragon Jar. Joseon dynasty (18th-19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Of high-shouldered ovoid form with tall, upright neck, decorated in cobalt underglaze with two four-clawed dragons chasing the flaming pearl in the midst of scallop-shaped clouds, the wide frieze between cloud and line borders, the foot and rim encircled by narrow single or double-lines of underglaze blue and the whole jar applied with a crackled clear glaze; 16¾in. (42.3cm.) high - Estimate $100,000 - $120,000

A Blue and White Porcelain Bottle with Longevity Symbols. Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

With bulbous lower body rising from a short, inset foot to the tall, cylindrical neck ending in a rolled lip, painted in crisp strokes of underglaze blue with elements of the Ten Signs of Long Life (Shipjaengsaeng), here pairs of mythical tortoises, cranes and deer and immortal fungus shown amongst billowing clouds below the distant sun setting beneath craggy cliffs, the vessel also decorated with a narrow blue line around the foot and with a blue-tinged clear glaze of even lustre; 11¾in. (29.8cm.) high - Estimate $60,000 - $80,000

A White Porcelain Water Dropper. Joseon dynasty (15th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Of compressed peach form balanced on a high ring foot and moulded with a curved, cylindrical side spout, decorated with a powdery transparent glaze; air hole drilled next to the point at the center top; foot rim unglazed; 2¾in. (7cm.) high; 4¼in. (10.4cm.) diameter - Estimate $45,000 - $50,000

A Large Blue and White Porcelain Bowl . Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

The deep circular bowl balanced on a raised ring foot decorated with four stylized longevity medallions of cobalt blue evenly spaced around the perimeter, the well additionally painted with a longevity medallion of the same size, the exterior of the rim and lower body above the foot painted with underglaze-blue double lines and around the foot with a single blue line, all beneath a clear glaze of blue cast; 10 1/8in. (25.7cm.) diameter; 5 7/8in. (14.8cm.) high - Estimate $45,000 - $50,000

Notes: For another bowl, see Choi Sunu, National Museum of Korea, Seoul, vol. 2 of The Worlds Great Collections, Oriental Ceramics (Tokyo, New York and San Francisco: Kodansha International Ltd., 1982), no. 269.

A Dome-form White Porcelain Water Dropper. Joseon period (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Rising from a short ring foot, moulded on one side with an angular short spout and drilled in the top center with an air hole, the whole save the foot rim decorated with a blue-tinged clear glaze with high sheen;  7/8in. (7.2cm.) high; 2¾in. (7cm.) diameter - Estimate $30,000 - $35,000

A Blue and White Porcelain Dish. Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

The shallow dish resting on a raised circular foot painted in light and dark washes of underglaze blue with fishermen in a bay before a backdrop of pine-studded cliffs, the closer shoreline crags dotted with pines and flowering trees, the masts of four anchored boats shown near the rim, the landscape all below a double-line border, a single line of underglaze blue encircling the foot, the dish also covered by a transparent glaze; foot rim unglazed; 7 3/8in. (18.7cm.) diameter; 2in. (5cm.) high - Estimate $30,000 - $35,000

An Incised Buncheong Stoneware Bottle. Joseon dynasty (15th-16th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Of bulbous form rising from a high, flared foot to a cup-form mouth, decorated around the midsection with incised leaves and below the neck with a collar of incised lappets, the body also brushed with thin white slip and applied with a transparent glaze of high sheen and distinct green cast; 5¼in. (13.2cm.) high; 5¾in. (14.6cm.) diameter - Estimate $30,000 - $35,000

An Incised Celadon Stoneware Maebyeong. Goryeo dynasty (12th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

The slender ovoid body with high, swelling shoulders and cup-form mouth, incised with delicate lines that form lotus blossoms on long, curling stems and cranes and willows, the vessel also applied overall save the flat foot rim with a thick celadon glaze running in several thick drops and patches and with high gloss; 11 1/8in. (28.2cm.) high - Estimate $15,000 - $20,000

Property from the Robert Moore Collection of Korean Art

A Large Blue and White Dragon Jar. Joseon dynasty (second half 19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Of high-shouldered ovoid form with tall, upright neck, painted on the body with a single three-clawed dragon writhing through clouds below a cloud collar, the neck painted with two scalloped lines and the neck and base encircled by parallel rings, all executed in underglaze blue beneath a glossy transparent glaze; 14½in. (36.8cm.) high - Estimate $15,000 - $20,000

Property from the Robert Moore Collection of Korean Art

A Small Blue and White Porcelain Water Dropper. Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Rectangular, painted in underglaze blue on the four sides with leaf sprays and on the top with a panel of insects, budding boughs and flowers within a line border, the top drilled with a central air hole and circular corner spout hole; flat base unglazed; 2 x 1½ x 7/8in. (4.9 x 7 x 2.3cm.) - Estimate $12,000 - $15,000

A Slip-inlaid Celadon Stoneware Maebyeong. Goryeo dynasty (14th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

Of ovoid form with inset neck and extended, rolled lip, incised and inlaid in white slip with a collar of auspicious fungus heads at the neck and with a band of stiff leaves at the foot, both framing a frieze of cranes flying above paired willows and lotuses executed in white and iron-slip inlay, the vessel also decorated with a glossy greyish celadon glaze; 11 13/16in. (30cm.) high - Estimate $8,000 - $10,000

Property from the Robert Moore Collection of Korean Art

A Celadon Stoneware Bowl and a Saucer. Goryeo dynasty (12th century). Photo: Christie´s Images Ltd 2010

The bowl of conical form with petiolate rim and impressed in the well in slight relief with a lotus blossom and applied overall with a celadon glaze; three spur marks within the circular foot rim; the shallow, round saucer also moulded in the well with a flower and decorated with a celadon glaze with emerald flushes and dense craquelure; three spur marks on the wide, flat base
Bowl 7 3/8in. (18.6cm.) diameter; saucer 5¼in. (13.2cm.) diameter (2) - Estimate $2,500 - $3,000

Property from the Dr. and Mrs. William L. Corbin Collection

Notes: On loan to the Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon, 1 June 2006--22 June 2010

Christie's. Japanese & Korean Art Including Arts of the Meiji Period. 15 September 2010. New York, Rockefeller Plaza www.christies.com