What is a cobalt blue decorative urn used for?

These vessels served primarily as interior ornament and focal points on mantelpieces, pedestals and side tables. They were designed to display floral arrangements, hold potpourri or simply stand alone as statements of taste and wealth. Over the centuries, collectors placed them in formal reception rooms and parlours to introduce rich colour and classical or exotic motifs. Today, they function in much the same way, anchoring a room's decorative scheme with historic presence.

How can I tell Japanese Imari from Satsuma ware?

Imari ware is a hard-paste porcelain characterised by a resonant ring when tapped, featuring a palette dominated by cobalt blue and iron red with generous gilding. The designs are typically applied directly to the white porcelain body. Satsuma ware is an earthenware ceramic featuring an opaque, cream-coloured glaze covered in a fine network of crackles. It usually carries heavier enamel work and raised relief details rather than the smooth, glazed porcelain finish of Imari.

What defines a garniture of vases?

A garniture consists of a matching set of three, four or five vessels designed to be displayed together as a unified decorative scheme on a mantelpiece or sideboard. These sets typically combine lidded jars with open vases of varying heights. Originating in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the influx of Asian porcelain to Europe, garnitures were adopted by domestic potteries. Maintaining a complete surviving set adds considerable historic interest to the collection.