What defines Qajar dynasty ceramics?

Qajar ceramics typically feature polychrome underglazes with floral, avian, or figural motifs produced in Persia during the late 18th to early 20th centuries.

What materials and glazes were used in traditional Persian ceramics?

Most pieces feature earthenware or stonepaste bodies coated in transparent tin or alkaline glazes, decorated with cobalt blue, green, manganese, and black pigments.

How can authentic Qajar pottery be identified?

Authentic examples display distinctive craquelure across the glaze, painted decoration beneath a transparent top layer, and visible wear along the unglazed base ring.

How can a Persian glazed vase be styled in a modern interior?

Displaying the vase on a mantelpiece, open bookshelf, or side table introduces historic texture, graphic pattern, and subtle colour contrast to contemporary spaces.

How should antique glazed ceramics be cleaned and preserved?

Dust gently using a dry, soft brush or lint-free cloth, avoiding prolonged immersion in water or chemical cleaning agents that could penetrate crackle glazes.

for sale €351 $381

£300

Ritas Bazaar

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Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910

Name: Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1232117
Price: 300 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Ritas Bazaar

Description

An unusual and highly decorative Persian polychrome glazed ceramic vase, produced during the late Qajar period, circa 1890–1910.

The vase has a distinctive tiered and strongly architectural profile. A broad spreading foot rises through a tapering lower section to a compressed globular body, surmounted by an elongated neck and a widely flared mouth. The generous central body and broad base give the vase a particularly balanced and imposing appearance despite its relatively compact dimensions.

The decoration is freely hand-painted beneath a transparent glaze. The central body is reserved against an intense cobalt-blue ground and decorated with large white rosettes and stylised flowers, outlined in dark brown-black and enlivened with touches of pale blue, manganese purple and olive green. The neck is painted with upright tulip-like blossoms and leafy stems, while the lower section includes stylised birds among flowering vegetation.

The bird-and-flower imagery belongs to the long Persian tradition of idealised garden decoration, evoking nature, vitality and abundance. The distinctive combination of cobalt blue, turquoise, manganese purple and olive or sage green also recalls the appearance of earlier Ottoman "Damascus" ceramics. This historicising palette explains the vase's striking visual relationship with earlier Islamic pottery, although its form and execution belong to late Qajar Persian production.

The transparent glaze displays an extensive natural network of age-related craquelure. The deeply recessed and unglazed underside exposes the pale, granular ceramic body together with handmade firing irregularities. The deeper interior of the neck is rough and only partially glazed, apparently as made. The vase is unmarked.

The vase remains complete and has a strong decorative presence. There is a small chip to the outer edge of the flared mouth. One side of the central body has an old repaired vertical crack with visible amber-coloured adhesive. There are minor areas of glaze wear and small losses consistent with age. All condition issues are clearly shown in the photographs.

Date: Circa 1890–1910

Period: Late Qajar dynasty

Origin: Persia

Material: Polychrome glazed ceramic

Decoration: Birds, rosettes, flowers and leafy stems

Mark: Unmarked

Condition: Good antique display condition; small rim chip, old repaired crack, glaze crazing and minor wear

Dimensions:

Height: 23.7 cm / 9.33 inches

Maximum diameter: Approximately 12 cm / 4.72 inches

Weight: 700 g

Physical Dimensions

Height

23.7cm (9.33")

Width

12cm (4.72")

Depth

12cm (4.72")

Declaration

Ritas Bazaar has dated this Qajar Persian Ceramic Vase to the 1890s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1232117

Dealers Internal Reference

B1850

Description

An unusual and highly decorative Persian polychrome glazed ceramic vase, produced during the late Qajar period, circa 1890–1910.

The vase has a distinctive tiered and strongly architectural profile.

“

A broad spreading foot rises through a tapering lower section to a compressed globular body, surmounted by an elongated neck and a widely flared mouth.

Ritas Bazaar

The generous central body and broad base give the vase a particularly balanced and imposing appearance despite its relatively compact dimensions.

fig 1. A late Qajar Persian polychrome ceramic vase featuring a central bulbous knop, flared rim, crackle glaze finish, and painted blue and green floral motifs. — fig 1. Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910

The decoration is freely hand-painted beneath a transparent glaze. The central body is reserved against an intense cobalt-blue ground and decorated with large white rosettes and stylised flowers, outlined in dark brown-black and enlivened with touches of pale blue, manganese purple and olive green. The neck is painted with upright tulip-like blossoms and leafy stems, while the lower section includes stylised birds among flowering vegetation.

fig 2. A late Qajar Persian polychrome ceramic vase featuring a central bulbous knop, flared rim, crackle glaze finish, and painted blue and green floral motifs. — fig 2. Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910

The bird-and-flower imagery belongs to the long Persian tradition of idealised garden decoration, evoking nature, vitality and abundance. The distinctive combination of cobalt blue, turquoise, manganese purple and olive or sage green also recalls the appearance of earlier Ottoman "Damascus" ceramics. This historicising palette explains the vase's striking visual relationship with earlier Islamic pottery, although its form and execution belong to late Qajar Persian production.

fig 3. A late Qajar Persian polychrome ceramic vase featuring a central bulbous knop, flared rim, crackle glaze finish, and painted blue and green floral motifs. — fig 3. Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910

The transparent glaze displays an extensive natural network of age-related craquelure. The deeply recessed and unglazed underside exposes the pale, granular ceramic body together with handmade firing irregularities. The deeper interior of the neck is rough and only partially glazed, apparently as made. The vase is unmarked.

fig 4. A late Qajar Persian polychrome ceramic vase featuring a central bulbous knop, flared rim, crackle glaze finish, and painted blue and green floral motifs. — fig 4. Late Qajar Persian Polychrome Glazed Ceramic Vase, Circa 1890–1910

The vase remains complete and has a strong decorative presence. There is a small chip to the outer edge of the flared mouth. One side of the central body has an old repaired vertical crack with visible amber-coloured adhesive. There are minor areas of glaze wear and small losses consistent with age. All condition issues are clearly shown in the photographs.