Ceramic Vase - 19 cm

Pair of small short-necked jars with a bulging lip
Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
South China (Anhui, Guangdong, or Fujian kilns)
People call them “Trade Ceramics” productions
Coarse-grained stoneware with a lead-glazed crackle coating
Height of the largest: 19 cm x 15 cm

Set consisting of two small ovoid storage jars, with a pronounced shoulder and a short neck surmounted by a thick rounded-out lip. The bodies of the vessels are animated by light horizontal grooves left by the potter’s wheel.

The left jar features a dark brown glaze with olive-reflecting tones, characterized by a fine mottled glaze reminiscent of a “pear skin” effect, ending irregularly just above an unglazed base.

The right jar wears a much lighter glaze, ranging from cream to amber-yellow, marked by a dense and pronounced network of cracks (crackling), typical of Songxi-type stoneware or certain provincial productions intended for export to Southeast Asia.

The base reveals a flat, slightly concave footing, showing a coarse beige-gray stoneware paste with ferruginous impurities. The presence of cut marks on the bottom indicates a fast, artisan fabrication technique characteristic of utilitarian pieces of the period.

These medium-sized jars were originally intended for transporting and preserving precious commodities (spices, condiments, oils, or medicinal liqueurs). Produced in large quantities in private kilns in southern China, they were widely distributed along the Silk Road sea routes. Their robustness and sober lines confer today a raw, timeless aesthetic that is highly sought after.

Condition: Good state of archaeological freshness.
Brown glaze: wear traces, chips, firing flaws
Beige glaze: wear traces and restorations

Provenance: Kanaka The Collection

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