A carved Ding bowl produced in China during the time of the Northern Song dynasty has sold for $1.2m at Sotheby's.

It was offered in a September 16 New York sale of pieces belonging to the prolific Japanese collector Sakamoto Goro.

The bowl displays the off-white glaze typical of Ding ware

The lot was estimated at $500,000, resulting in an increase of 140%. It crossed the block as part of the annual Asian Art Week sales in New York.

The Northern Song period dates from AD 960 to AD 1127, when the nation's capitol was located in the city of Bianjing.

Ding ceramics are named for the region of Dingzhou where they were produced and are considered among the greatest treasures of medieval China.

The piece displays the distinctive off-white finish and metal binding typical of Ding ware, along with an elegantly carved lotus flower design.

The best examples of the form can reach exceptional sums at auction, as demonstrated by the sale of the Clark Ding bowl from the Sakamoto Goro collection, which realised $18.9m at Sotheby's Hong Kong earlier this year.

A Longquan Celadon dish produced under the Northern Song dynasty (AD 1127-1279) also performed well, realising $413,000 against a valuation of $60,000.

This equates to a significant increase of 588.3%.

It features a "twin fish" design, a popular symbol of marriage and harmony in Chinese art.  

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