Previously believed to be Korean, a bowl in the British Museum was found to be a valuable Chinese imperial ceramic

The “Art Newspaper” reports that the British Museum has recently discovered an extraordinary glazed ceramic piece that is nearly one thousand years old. The piece, which is a brush washer used for cleaning calligraphy brushes, was initially regarded as a harmonious yet unprepossessing dish. It is part of the celebrated Ru kilns that produced imperial ceramics for the Northern Song Dynasty. Only a few stoneware pieces from this kiln have survived over time, making this discovery exceptionally rare.
Percival David, one of the most prominent Western collectors of Chinese ceramics, acquired the dish in New York in 1928. His collection has been on long-term loan from the Sir Percival David Foundation since 2009 and is currently on display at the British Museum.
Initially believed to be a Ru piece in the 1920s, the dish was later downgraded to a lesser piece made in Korea in the 1970s due to the greyish glaze color and large marks on the base. Recent research led by German academic Regina Krahl has confirmed that the dish was indeed made in a Ru kiln in Qingliangsi, east-central China, dating back to 1086-1125. This was confirmed by scientific testing conducted by Cranfield University’s Forensic Institute in Wiltshire.
According to a British Museum spokesperson, Ru pieces are considered the rarest of all imperial Chinese ceramics. Jessica Harrison-Hall, the head of the British Museum’s China section, commended Krahl’s experienced eye, which prompted a re-examination of the dish, which is smaller than an adult’s hand. Harrison-Hall describes Ru wares as “incredibly rare, beautiful and ancient—made just 20 years after the Battle of Hastings.”
The dish is now on display in the British Museum’s ceramics gallery, where it can be enjoyed by visitors interested in ancient Chinese ceramics.