Larger Blue and White Porcelain and Bronze Lidded Ginger Jar. Classic pattern on the exterior craquelure surface. 

Condition: Commensurate with age. 

Size: 12 x 12 x 16 in. 

The ginger jar originated in the days of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 207 BC) as a storage receptacle for spices like salt, herbs, and sugar. When ginger became a chief export to the Western world, the vessels in which it was stored and transported became known as “ginger jars” throughout the Western world. A classical ginger jar is characterized by its rounded ovoid shape and high shoulders. In China the shape is simply called “guan,” meaning jar, and though originally intended as utilitarian objects they soon began to showcase the rich colors and vibrant patterns characteristic of Chinese ceramics as they became highly sought collectible objects in their own right. By the 19th Century the ginger jar was essentially collected solely for aesthetics in interior design. The most common style is the blue and white porcelain, with surviving examples from the 9th Century commanding incredible sums from collectors. By the Ming Dynasty the ginger jar had almost single-handedly launched the export market, and later pieces came in a wide array of colors, including red, yellow, orange, and the ubiquitous Famille Verte and Rose styles. Imari ginger jars from Japan also became highly sought after, with the style emulated in China and evolving between the two countries over several centuries. Today their value can range widely; a single blue and white jar from the early Kangxi Period brought $27,000 at auction in 2007, setting a world record at the time. 

Commensurate with age. 

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