Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Imperial Ming Porcelain Jar to the 16th Century.
This vessel features a striking and highly desirable dual-medium palette of underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze iron-red (Qinghua Hongcai). The piece is masterfully decorated with stylized, trunk-form Shou (Longevity) characters and traditional scrolling foliage, perfectly embodying the complex Daoist iconography and imperial taste of the period.
The exterior wall is finely painted with repeating, winding tree trunks configured into the sacred Shou character for long life, interspersed with organic floral clusters and dense leafage. The execution relies entirely on a crisp, contrasting palette: the foundational structural linework and characters are rendered in deep underglaze cobalt, while the surrounding blossoms and the heavy, saturated ground of the shoulder are filled with rich overglaze iron-red washes. The balance of the composition showcases the precise multi-stage firing techniques perfected at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns.
Structural Characteristics & Surface Wear
The jar is stoutly potted with high, rounded shoulders, a short neck, and a body that gently tapers down to a robust, unglazed foot rim.
The Luting Line: Notably, the mid-section of the body exhibits a distinct, subtle horizontal luting line—the definitive structural footprint showing where the upper and lower halves of the vessel were joined together by hand before firing, a classic hallmark of authentic Ming Dynasty craftsmanship.
The Shoulder Wear: The upper shoulder displays fine, scattered micro-scratching and superficial surface wear localized entirely within the softer, overglaze iron-red enamel ground. These natural, multi-directional handling marks are strictly confined to the upper glaze layer and serve as an honest, age-expected indicator of the vessel’s centuries-long handling history.
Base & Calligraphy
The base retains its original, slightly undulating "orange-peel" glaze surface, marked by characteristic minor pinholes and natural glaze contractions from traditional wood-fired kiln reduction. Centered on the base is the imperial six-character Jiajing reign mark (Da Ming Jiajing Nian Zhi) written in under glaze blue within a double ring, displaying the fluid, spontaneous hand expected of period imperial decorators.
Condition & Provenance
Condition: Excellent structural condition. Free of hairline cracks, chips to the mouth or foot rim, or structural restoration. The aforementioned enamel micro-scratching is purely cosmetic, posing no threat to the structural porcelain body.
Provenance: Acquired directly from a Japanese trade collection; accompanied by the original physical Japanese merchant transaction and terminal slips documenting its entry through the Japanese connoisseurship market.
Technical Details
Period: Ming Dynasty, Jiajing Mark (1522–1566)
Material: Porcelain with under glaze cobalt blue and over glaze iron-red enamel
Height: 20cm
Weight: 747 grams
Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Imperial Ming Porcelain Jar to the 16th Century.
Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Sandbanks Antiques Profile Page
A Rare Imperial Underglaze Blue and Iron-red ‘Longevity’ Jar, Mark of Jiajing (1522–1566)
