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Subject: ginger pot input appreciated
Posted By: Madria Mon, Feb 13, 2023 IP: 87.78.53.210
Hello everyone!
Thank you for taking the time to contribute to this post.
I have recently purchased a ginger jar for very little money and would be interested in your opinion. It looks like one of the many pieces for export (perhaps for the South-East Asian market?) possibly from the late 19th century. The decoration is very simple and shows a surrounding landscape scene with fishermen in a dull blue underglaze. The lid is unfortunately missing. So far nothing unusual from this side. The ginger jar has a thick, creamy white glaze with a certain blue-greyish colour that makes me think of production sites in southern China. But what particularly puzzles me, and differs from pieces I have had the pleasure of handling so far, is the placement of the band around it. Is it usual that this is so low on the shoulder and so far away from the area on the neck where the lid is put on? Also, the glaze seems very clearly separated from the lid (as if cut out), with a semi-circular protuberance at one point that I can't quite figure out how it must have been formed during the firing process. In addition, some parts of the neck and the foot are much whiter than the glazed body. But they seem to be glazed anyway. On the base is an irregularly placed illegible mark, which I believe to be a fantasy mark. The vase has the usual minor and major blemishes and misfires.
What is your opinion of the piece? Do you think it is authentic or is it more of a modern copy? How would you explain the differences in colouring? Do you know of comparable pieces with similar striking characteristics? When the message is published, I will add more pictures. In general, I would be interested in what is known about the firing process of ginger jars, for example in terms of temperature, material composition or even the nature of the firing marks in the glaze. I would also be interested in literature on ginger jars and their purpose, if anyone has a good reading tip for me. I buy such objects not so much to collect or as an investment, but rather to learn from them. So I would really appreciate your input.
With kind regards
Madria
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