In many respects ceramics reached their zenith during the four centuries of the Koryo kingdom (918-1392 AD) when porcellanous stonewares with soft, gentle lines and a fine, bluish-green glaze, known as celadon, were made. Praised for their outstanding beauty as reflected in their sumptuous glazes, refined forms and elegant decorations, they are seen to exemplify one of the highlights of Korean culture. This receptacle for wine dregs is covered with a greenish celadon glaze. It has a wide, incurving rim and a deep, narrow basin, designed to catch slops thrown at a distance. Its lower body is in the form of a shouldered jar with a wide, incurving rim; the upper body is in the form of a dish. It has three sprays of peony flower incised on the inner rim, and two groups of foliage on the outer walls of the base. On the foot ring are traces of spur marks (unglazed scars). Gold lacquer repairs can be seen on the upper body.
This piece was donated to the museum in 1918 by the collector, Aubrey Le Blond (1869-1937), and his wife, Elizabeth. Travelling throughout the Far East during 1912-13, they acquired a large quantity of Korean ceramics, many of which they later donated to the V&A Museum.