To my eye the most perfectly minimal, perfectly proportioned shallow vessel, just what it needs to be and not a thing more, this is a very old Chinese "ear cup", c 600 AD, which I purchased from a collector, dealer and friend in Maine. Chinese ear cups, or 'erbei' in Chinese, are an ancient form, functional as vessels for drinking, but more broadly  embodying Chinese philosophy, aesthetics, and social customs--and exquisite craftsmanship. And indeed, holding this in one's hands and listening, it feels as if one can hear the wisdom of the universe cupped in it! There are fancier examples of these out there made from materials including bronze, jade, lacquer and glazed earthenware, and including examples dating to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). But to my eye this unembellished, very thin walled stoneware example is an ideal distillation, the very essence of the erbei, perfect.

4 7/8" x 3 7/8" x 1 1/4" t. Beautiful condition. Color is more subtle and delicate feeling in hand; camera picks up undertones and makes them seem darker. Has the feeling to me of a vessel in a Morandi painting, like a sandy bisque.