Featured Very old vase

Hi everyone! I just picked up this very old (maybe Liao dynasty?) vase from my local auction house for $40. I have no idea how old (or new) it could be, but it does look very similar to Liao dynasty vases, or at least Northern Chinese. Don’t really want to waste money on a TL test, but it’s crazy to think someone possibly made this 900-1000 years ago

 

Once I get home, I’ll take better pics of the iridescence, it also has a crack that was repaired on the brown part near the top

 

It is a beauty, and it certainly looks the part.

 

Intriguing!

 

Just Lovely...Thanks!

 

It also has some tape on it, I really don’t want to remove it by hand… anyone know how to remove the residue?

 

Google brings up this very similar
https://freemansauction.com/auctions/1318-asian-works-of-art-online/lot/721

 

It is on the glaze, so a gentle rub with some alcohol on cotton wool shouldn't do any harm.

 

If you haven't already, give the vase a gentle clean with warm water and dish soap. Some of the tape residue will come off. It looks like the vase was made in 2 parts -- the bulbous part and the neck unless the line was a break?

 

Archaeological pieces like this are best kept in this state.
So only gently remove the tape residue.

 

Looking at it under UV, I can’t see any cracks where the neck meets the body, so probably made in two pieces

 

Can I ask what hopefully is not a dumb question? Is it really a vase? Could it be a vessel for holding liquids? Like oil or vinegar or fresh water? It looks crudely made so I was wondering if it was a useful item versus a decorative item.

What made me think of it was a side trip to Pompeii while visiting Italy. There were a lot of vessels on display that were used primarily to hold things that were brought in by boat. Or is a vase, just a vase?

 

It isn't.

Yes, I think it is utilitarian. Given the origin, it could have been for (rice)wine.

 

They actually used these for funerary purposes I found out. I asked some people more familiar with earthenware and they said it’s a incorrect glaze for Liao, but correct for Tang dynasty.

I don’t think anyone ever drank or ate out of this since they haven’t found one outside of funerary context, plus the glaze they use can be very high in lead(over 60%)

 

That makes sense. Funerary gifts of wine etc.

The same on some antique European utilitarian vessels, and lead pipes of course. People had no idea, they just got lead poisoning without knowing the cause. Of course symptoms are diverse, which also made it difficult to find the cause.

 

People used to use all kinds of crazy stuff, like asbestos ware or arsenical bronze

It’s really a miracle I was born now lol

 

We are all here in spite of all those poisons.

 

Thanks everyone for this very interesting information.

 

Very much so. Thank you

 

What great and interesting item and the potential age of it just leaves me in awe. Incredible buy for $40!!