Wealth of rare art set to go on show

Updated: 2016-10-21 17:12

By EARLE GALE(China Daily UK)

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One of the most important exhibitions in recent decades of rare and historic Chinese ceramics, some of which are almost 12,000 years old, will be held in London next month.

The Oriental Ceramic Society is staging China Without Dragons at Sotheby's New Bond Street showroom between Nov 3 and Nov 9, to coincide with the auctioneer's upcoming sale of Asian art.

The exhibition is being curated by Regina Krahl, a leading authority on Chinese ceramics and former president of the Oriental Ceramic Society. The show will feature around 200 pieces on loan from members of the society.

"This exhibition aims to celebrate the rich store of Chinese ceramics collected within the Oriental Ceramic Society," Krahl said.

"The fascination of an exhibition such as this lies in its phenomenal spectrum. It covers the full range, from the rarest masterpieces that we might see in a major museum show to minor items that would otherwise rarely be exhibited."

Krahl said the exhibition will be the most important the society has staged since its 50th Anniversary Exhibition in 1971.

Items on display will date back as far as the Neolithic period, and pieces from all eras of Chinese ceramic art will be included.

Krahl noted that the items on display will all have "some unusual or noteworthy aspect".

"It is hoped that this selection will be enjoyed by specialists, as well as by amateurs," said Krahl, who noted that one of her aims is to showcase the vast variety of wares and the inventiveness of Asian potters.

Jessica Harrison-Hall, president of the Oriental Ceramic Society, said such items have inspired collectors throughout the ages.

"Chinese ceramics have captivated collectors for a thousand years," she said.

"They can arouse great passion. Chinese texts describe a jealous emperor smashing a beautiful bowl which he found unexpectedly in his lover's room. While, in Europe, a whole dragoon of soldiers was exchanged for a porcelain vase. These legends add to the mystique of collecting."

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