Korean inlaid celadon octagonal stoneware dish

This bowl was wheel-formed and then pressed into a mold while still soft to create an octagonal form. The soft stoneware clay was then carved and impressed with a stylized chrysanthemum design, allowed to dry, and then covered with a slip of white liquid clay which filled the incising. The residue was wiped or carved off leaving the crisp design in white against the darker clay. The entire bowl, including the base and footring was covered in a pale green celadon glaze having a close crackle that is typical of such wares. It was fired on small stones of which some adhered to the base, which is again typical of Korean celadon wares from the 1200s. There are a few glaze crawls as seen in the photos, but no cracks or restorations. This is a rare bowl in unusually good condition for its age.

Height: 1 ¾ in.; Diameter: 4 ½ in.