All posts tagged: Korean ceramics

Ming dynasty “Chicken Cup” sells for 36 million dollars

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A Shanghai collector paid a record $36 million in June for a rare Ming Dynasty cup that’s touted as the “holy grail” of China’s art world.Several records have been set at Sotheby’s spring sales in Hong Kong, continuing a trend of sky-high prices in the art world driven by the newly super-rich buyers in China and developing countries. The dainty, white cup from the 15th century measures just 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) in diameter and is known as a “chicken cup” because it’s decorated with a rooster and hen tending to their chicks. Sotheby’s describes the cup as having flawless translucent sides with its lively scene painted continuously around its sides. It was made during the reign of the Ming Dynasty’s Chenghua Emperor, who ruled from 1465 to 1487. Sotheby’s said only 17 such cups exist, with four in private hands and the rest in museums. “There’s no more legendary object in the history of Chinese porcelain,” said Nicholas Chow, Sotheby’s deputy chairman for Asia. “This is really the holy grail when it comes to …

Ceramic bowl bought for less than $3.00 at a garage sale sells for more than 2 million at auction

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Don’t you love stories like this. Someone bought a bowl at a garage sale paying less than $3.00 for it 2007 and had the bowl on their mantelpiece with no idea as to its real worth. After consulting with experts, the owners consigned the bowl for auction. Sotheby’s estimated it would sell for $200,000 to $300,000. London dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi paid $2,225,000 including commission for the bowl, which measures just over five inches  in diameter, at the auction in New York City in March of 2013. Sotheby’s said the only known bowl of the same form, size and almost identical decoration has been in the collection of the British Museum in London for more than 60 years. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Paul Simao)

This Video Proves The Act Of Creating Can Be Just As Beautiful As Your Final Product

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There are few things in this world as soothing as watching master craftsmen guide their clay into shapes. Human beings have been making pottery for thousands and thousands of years, and our appreciation for their work goes bone-deep. The video above features five masters of the craft, all known in South Korea for practicing traditional techniques that date back centuries.“Although technological advances constantly redefine the ceramic industry, Korean ceramic artists strive to preserve the tradition of peace, simplicity, and spiritual temperance of Korean art,” writes the American Museum Of Ceramic Art. Consider the techniques preserved. The video reminds us that as much as we treasure finished works of art, sometimes the act of creating them can be just as astonishingly beautiful. From the Huffington Post, published 7/18/2014 written by Cate Mathews