Ceramic Vase - 19 cm

Pair of small short-neck jars with a bead-rim
Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
South China (anhui, Guangdong or Fujian kilns)
So-called “trade” productions (Trade Ceramics)
Sandy stoneware with lead-glazed, crazed surface
Height of the largest: 19 cm x 15 cm

Set consisting of two small, ovoid, truncated-conical storage jars, with a pronounced shoulder and a short neck topped by a thick rounded bead-rim. The bodies of the vessels are animated by faint horizontal grooves left by the potter’s wheel.

The left jar wears a dark brown glaze with olive reflections, characterized by a fine speckled glaze reminiscent of a a “pear-skin” effect, irregularly stopping just above an unglazed base.

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

The base reveals a flat, slightly concave pedestal, showing a coarse beige-gray stoneware paste, speckled with iron impurities. The presence of cut marks on the base indicates a quick, artisanal manufacturing technique typical of utilitarian pieces of the period.

These medium-sized jars were originally intended for the transport and storage of valuable commodities (spices, condiments, oils, or medicinal wines). Produced in large quantities in private kilns in southern China, they were widely distributed along the Silk Road maritime routes. Their robustness and the sobriety of their lines give them today a raw, timeless aesthetic that is highly sought after.

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

Provenance: Kanaka The Collection

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