Bowl with Ducks among Waves and Reeds

Delicacy and refinement, combined with simplicity of shape, make Ding ware particularly attractive. The best pieces were selected by the Northern Song court for imperial use. The white, thin body is covered with a transparent ivory glaze that occasionally runs down toward the foot, forming streaks or drops called "tear-stains" by the Chinese connoisseurs. As the vessel was fired upside down, the rim was unglazed and could be bound with a metal band, such as copper or precious silver and gold.