Jar

Museum number:

9-13401a-c

Permalink:

ark:/21549/hm210913401a@2dc

Alternate number:

3810a-c (previous number (Design Dept.))

Accession number:

Acc.3032

Description:

Ginger jar (a), with lid (b) and wood stand (c): (a,b): porcelain, blue and white. (a) bulbous ovoid body with high shoulder, recessed base, short cylinder mouth. lid (b) short flat top cylinder which fits over the mouth of (a). all-over pattern of prunus blossom branches in white reserve with blue linear detail on light blue crackle pattern wash ground. neck/mouth is unglazed and stained. lid (b) has same design on top; 3 scrolls on side on white ground. pinhole in surface. interior of each glazed. stand (c) lathe turned teak, 5 feet; 5 openwork panels with ju-i scepter heads and scrollwork. H. (a) 20.6cm (b) 3cm (c) 6cm; max. Dia. (a) 21cm (b) 11cm (c) 17.5cm. *paired with 9-13402a-c.

Donor:

Design Department (UC Berkeley)

Collection place:

China

Culture or time period:

Chinese

Collector:

Albert M. Bender

Collection date:

1974

Materials:

Porcelain (material)

Object type:

ethnography

Object class:

Porcelain (visual works)

Function:

5.7 Objects made for sale, souvenirs, models, and reproductions

Accession date:

1974

Context of use:

'Ginger jars' were used to contain gifts such as tea, presented at Chinese New Years. The jars were not intended to be kept by the recipient of the gift. The prunus blossom design is intended to suggest the passing of winter and the coming of spring, ie. blossoms over cracking ice.

Department:

Asia (except western Russia)

Dimensions:

b— diameter 11 centimeters, b— height 3 centimeters, a— diameter 21 centimeters, c— diameter 17.5 centimeters, c— height 6 centimeters, and a— height 20.6 centimeters

Loans:

S1979-1980 #67: University of California, Berkeley (May 28, 1980–June 24, 1980) and S1980-1981 #7: University of California, Berkeley (July 24, 1980–July 10, 1990)

Images:

Legacy documentation: