At a recent auction in New York, two pieces of Ru-type vessels sold for a staggering price of US$94,500. The sale, which took place during Asia Week New York, was hosted by Christie’s and saw 118 out of the 138 lots sell, resulting in a total sale of US$18.7 million and a solid sell-through rate of 85.5%.
The two fragments from Ru-type vessels were the star attraction of the auction, with their late 11th to early 12th-century dating sparking fierce competition among bidders. The auctioneer was reportedly wowed by the bidding war, which saw the lot sell for a staggering US$75,000, well above the low estimate of US$1,000. With fees added, the final sale price reached an impressive US$94,500.
Ru ware, which dates back to the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), is highly sought-after in the Chinese ceramics and works of art collecting circles. Known for its glowing jade-like glaze and perfectly-proportioned shape, Ru ware has become almost mythical in status over the course of nearly a millennium.
Despite the fact that a complete inventory of known Ru ware is still not available, it is widely understood that less than one hundred pieces exist today, with the majority held by the Palace Museums in mainland China and Taipei.
Although Ru wares are often associated with imperial porcelains made specifically for the imperial court, it is worth noting that the Ru kiln was a large site that produced more than just imperial porcelains. The kiln, which comprises a group of over fifteen kilns at the village Qingliangsi in central China, covered at least 300,000 square metres in total. In the early Northern Song dynasty, the site was a large folk kiln that produced a range of ceramics, including black and three-colour wares with decorations.
It was not until the mid-late Northern Song dynasty that the court began commissioning imperial wares to be made at the Ru kiln site. From then on, a small workshop area was set aside specifically for making official wares. Court officials would visit the site to purchase ceramics of imperial quality, which are now identified as Ru wares. Any ceramics rejected by the court or produced at the site would circulate in the market and fall within the range of contemporary Northern Song ceramics, often referred to as “Ru-type” wares.
