SMALL CUP, Iridescent green-glazed, Han Dynasty（206BCE–220CE）

A small Han Dynasty cup with a green glaze bearing a silvered sheen.

A small cup-shaped vessel with a rim that flares slightly outward; the body tapers toward the shoulder and continues to a short foot. A single line runs beneath the rim, and though it is small enough to fit in the palm, the form retains a compact, well-proportioned presence.

The glaze is predominantly a deep green, preserved from the exterior into the interior. In places the glaze has flaked away, revealing white-weathered areas and zones that gleam with a silvery sheen. The interior retains a glossy green glaze, and the surface bears fine crazing with adherent soil deposits.

Green-glazed pottery of the Han Dynasty is an ancient Chinese ceramic distinguished by the vivid tones produced by lead glazes. Though this example is a very small cup, the green glaze, silvering, and white, weathered clay body merge to give it the quiet presence characteristic of antiquity. It presents well on a shelf or alongside tea utensils and other antique ceramics.

Throughout, there is glaze loss, silvering, adhered soil, and weathering-related surface degradation.