THE CÉLADON
whereas the genuine old types are exceedingly rare. Very little knowledge is required to distinguish the two, for the thinner glaze and finer pâte of the Kang-hsi, Yung-ching, and Chien-lung pieces, constituting in themselves easily recognised indications, are often supplemented by year-marks, which are never found on Lung-chuan-yao, Ju-yao, Ko-yao, or Kuan-yao.
To conclude this part of the subject and as an interesting confirmation of the deductions recorded above as to the nature of Sung wares, it will be well to quote, from a book called the "Annals of Fu-liang," the following account of "Imitations of ancient wares, manufactured at Ching-tê-chên":—
Ware with iron-coloured pâte of the Ta-kuan era (1107-1111). Of this there were three kinds; namely céladon of dark and light colour, and moon-white. These three species of glaze had the same tint and lustre as the glaze of the vases manufactured for imperial use in the Ching-te period (1004-1007).
Ware with copper-coloured pâte and glaze imitating that of the Ju-yao of the Sung dynasty, without crackle. This and the preceding ware are of the same colour and brilliancy as the toilette basins of the Sung dynasty.
Ware with iron-coloured pâte and the glaze of the Ko-ki, or vases of the elder Chang. Of this there are two varieties; rice-coloured glaze and pale céladon. Each is of the same colour and lustre as the ancient Sung ware manufactured for imperial use in the Ching-te era (1004-1007).
Ware with copper-coloured pâte, glaze of the Ju-yao, and crackle of the fish-roe variety. With regard to the tint and lustre of the glaze, the same observation applies as in the preceding cases. Ware with the whitish, or meal-coloured, glaze of the Fun-ting-yao (the choicest variety of the Ting-yao) of the Sung dynasty. Ware with the glaze of the Chün-yao. Imitations of the five varieties of Chün-yao glaze manufactured for imperial use during the Sung dynasty come under this head. These varieties are:—violet, or83