This small but stunning antique ginger jar, presumed to be either Chinese or Korean, feels like it belongs in a museum vitrine; this is really a beautiful little piece. Based on other ginger jars to which it bears closest resemblance, I’d guess it dates from second half of the 19th century.
I love the shape of ginger jars generally, but it is the gestural application of the blue glaze that really makes this one, and also gives it a very modern sensibility. Using a thick brush, the glaze appears to have been applied while the pot was turned upside down, thus yielding wonderfully inky pools of saturated color around its shoulders and neck, like little tsunamis.
3 3/4” tall and 3 3/4" in diameter at widest. The opening to the jar measures 1 7/8" across. There are a couple of tiny chips on the interior rim of the jar, as detailed in photos.
