For your consideration is a Late Ming Dynasty Minyao Porcelain Bowl, circa late 17th Century, procured in Kabul, Afghanistan. Provenance: the Owen D. Mort, Jr. Collection. Owen David Mort was an American engineer who amassed an impressive collection throughout his worldwide travels. His collection has included art, artifacts and other historical items from which he has donated to museums at the University of Utah and Snite Museum of Art, the University of Notre Dame, including African, Afghan and Asian artifacts. The Ming dynasty ruled in China from 1368 to 1644. The Chinese changed the source of Kaolin clay by the end of the Ming dynasty. The Ming clay bodies contain an iron impurity which makes the unglazed parts of the porcelain body to turn into an rusty iron colour when fired. This rusty red colour is often seen where the glaze stops short of the foot rim. Most old "minyao" (commercially-made Chinese pottery made for the people) porcelain usually also have glaze flaws where the glaze is not entirely covering the body. Those places and the foot rim is where to look for this rather nice discolouration and gives a warm" look that can be recognized and separates them from other porcelain. This bowl has a repeating characters pattern symmetry along the inside upper rim, colours in the traditional blue and creamy white. "Old" blue cobalt pigment have a tendency to go from dark blue to black and gray tones on "peoples ware" pieces. This is because the potters were using local cobalt that may have contained some iron. The touch of "blackish" is a good sign for provincial Ming. This bowl exhibits rust colour along rim, foot and areas of glazing flaws. Crazing and some chipping observed, measures 8.25" diameter mouth x 2"H, 3.25" foot.