H: 26.5 cm
W: 11 cm

The vase is well potted with a mallet-shaped body with sides tapering towards the short round foot from the canted shoulder. The tall slender neck is flanked by a pair of makara handles below the widely flared mouth with upturned rim, covered overall with an even glaze of soft plum-green tone save for the foot which is applied with a reddish-brown wash. The mallet-form vase was greatly admired by Chinese patrons during the Song Dynasty for the fine quality of its celadon glaze. The majority of these vases in Longquan kilns were made with two elaborate handles, either in the form of phoenix or fish, fewer in the form of makara. This plum green glaze is thick but transparent with a tone similar to emerald jade. Ceramics applied with such glaze were only produced during the southern Song dynasty, mostly imitating the shapes of jade and antique bronze wares, making them all the more valuable. Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, Volume 1b, p.304 The wide sides rising to a six-lobed rim, the cavetto applied with six vertical ribs radiating from the central medallion enclosing a pattern of two fish swimming in ripples, glazed allover in an ivory glaze with characteristic pooling to the exterior. With simple elegant design and fine craftsmanship, making it a highly worthy addition to the collection of Song dynasty Ding ware.