Pair of Chinese Blue and White ‘Double Happiness’ Baluster Jars

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Late Qing dynasty, 19th century
A pair of Chinese blue and white baluster jars of the type traditionally commissioned for … Read more Late Qing dynasty, 19th century
A pair of Chinese blue and white baluster jars of the type traditionally commissioned for weddings, each of robust ovoid form rising from a slightly spreading foot to a waisted neck, one jar retaining its domed cover with bud finial. The sides are densely painted in vibrant tones of cobalt blue with large shuangxi (囍, ‘double happiness’) medallions reserved against a profuse ground of scrolling lotus and leafy tendrils — an auspicious composition symbolising marital joy and abundance. A band of stylised keyfret and ruyi lappets encircles each shoulder, the decoration continuing onto the cover. The recessed bases are inscribed in underglaze blue with a hastily brushed four-character apocryphal Chenghua mark (成化年製, ‘Made in the Chenghua period’), a convention found on folk wares of the second half of the nineteenth century. Such ‘wedding jars’ were produced in the kilns of southern China during the closing decades of the Qing dynasty and remain among the most decoratively satisfying expressions of late imperial provincial porcelain. A well-matched pair with strong colour and lively brushwork. Sold as a pair.
— THE HOUSE —
From The Orient Gates: four generations of the Harb family, Damascene artisans and antique dealers since the 1870s, heirs of the painter Abou Sobhi Al-Tinawi (Muhammad Harb). Every piece is examined, restored and documented in our family ateliers. A certificate of authenticity accompanies every piece.
— DETAILS —
Origin: China
Period: Late Qing dynasty, circa 1860–1900
Materials: Porcelain, Cobalt underglaze blue
Dimensions: Height: 44 cm (17 ¼ in.) See less