Chinese Ceramic Vase

Rings hang from each handle, ready for an earring nobody ordered.

This vase comes from Nanyang in Henan Province, China, and is contemporary, of egg shell and Nanyang porcelain. Monochrome glazes have been admired in China since the Song dynasty, when a single, carefully controlled color was considered the height of refinement. The glaze here is a glossy coral red. The pear-shaped body is softly lobed, rising from a flared foot to a slim neck and a scalloped mouth. Two stylized bird handles, each with a loose ring, sit at the base of the neck. It is 3.75 inches wide and 8 high.

One color, applied with total conviction.