A LARGE STRAW-GLAZED 'DOUBLE-DRAGON-HEADED' AMPHORA Tang Dynasty (2)A LARGE STRAW-GLAZED 'DOUBLE-DRAGON-HEADED' AMPHORATang Dynasty The body of elegant ovoid form surmounted by a narrow waisted neck with cup-shaped mouth, set on the domed shoulders with a pair of double strap handles, the dragon-head terminals biting the lipped rim, covered in a clear white glaze, falling irregularly down the sides, the lower body and the base left unglazed, box. 43.8cm (17in) high. (2).唐 白釉雙龍耳瓶Provenance:A Japanese private collection, acquired in the 1980sA distinguished Asian private collection來源:日本私人舊藏，購於1980年代亞洲顯赫私人收藏The form of the present amphora originated during the Sui dynasty probably under the influence of the Silk Road, and became popular in the Tang dynasty for wine and water storage. See a closely related but smaller white-glazed amphora excavated in Shaanxi, illustrated in Zhongguo chutu ciqi quanji [Complete Collection of Ceramic Art Unearthed in China], vol.15, Beijing, 2008, pl.69; see four more related examples in major museums: a Tang dynasty white-glazed amphora in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, illustrated by S.G. Valenstein in A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, p.70, pl.64; a Tang dynasty white-glazed amphora in the Beijing Palace Museum with a neck decorated with raised fillets, illustrated in Zhongguo tao ci quanji [Complete Series on Chinese Fine Art Categories: Chinese Ceramics Series], Shanghai, 2000, vol.6, pl.147; a Tang dynasty white-glazed amphora in the Nezu Museum, illustrated by Masahiko Sato in Ceramic Art of the World, Tokyo, 1976, vol.11, pl.113; and a bigger Tang dynasty white-glazed amphora in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, illustrated by Yutaka Mino in Chūgoku no tōji [China's ceramics]: Hakuji [White wares], Tokyo, 1998, pl.10.The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. P122j35 is consistent with the dating of this lot.瓶盤口，短頸微束，兩側黏燒雙龍耳，龍躬身探入盤口，立於溜肩之上，圓鼓腹，修身下收於平底，胎質灰白緻密，外罩白釉不及下腹。 此類雙龍耳瓶發軔於隋，興於唐。主要燒造於河北邢窯以及河南鞏義窯，可以儲酒亦可儲水，主要流行於北方地區，或經絲綢之路從西域傳自中土。陝西出土一件唐代白釉雙龍柄瓶與本件極似，惟本件稍大，見《中國出土瓷器全集》，北京，2008年，卷15，編號69；此件又與美國大都會博物館藏一件唐代白釉雙龍耳瓶相近，見S.G.Valenstein著，《A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics》，紐約，1989年，頁70，圖64。又可比較北京故宮藏一件唐代白釉雙龍耳瓶，惟頸部稍有出入，此件為弦紋長頸，見《中國陶瓷全集》，上海，2000年，卷6，編號147。日本根津美術館藏一件唐代白釉雙龍耳瓶亦可比較之，見《世界陶瓷全集》，東京，1976年，卷11，編號113。出光美術館藏一件更大之唐代白瓷雙龍耳瓶亦資參考，見蓑豐編，《中国の陶磁·白磁》，東京，1998年，編號10。本拍品經牛津熱釋光檢測編號P122j35，結果與其斷代相符。