The Clark Ding bowl, a prized Chinese ceramic from the collection of Sakamoto Goro, has sold with outstanding results, continuing Sotheby's successful run of spring auctions in Hong Kong.
 The Clark Ding is one of the finest surviving examples of Ding ware, which has been popular with collectors since the 6th century AD. |
The Clark Ding is one of the most exceptional examples of Dingyao pottery, dating to the Song dynasty (960-1279). It sold for $18.9m in the dedicated sale on April 8.
Sotheby's set the world record for any Chinese ceramic this week in Hong Kong, with the Meiyintang Chicken Cup selling for an impressive $36.2m.
Ding ware is the most sought after pottery in China's rich history of producing ceramics. Revered for its ethereal white glaze, it has been produced since the Tang dynasty (618-907) and had already become a coveted collectors item by the Song dynasty, when Ding ware reached its peak.
Of the scant number of surviving examples, the Clark Ding is perhaps the finest. Delicately but freely carved, it was once the centrepiece of the legendary collection of Alfred and Ivy Clark.
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