Chinese Tea Jar - Anything Unusual About It?

Hello Board Buddies - I believe I've identified this as a Chinese tea jar (thanks to previous posts on this board). The problem is I have no idea whether it's an everyday run of the mill jar or if there might be anything special about it. It's crazed, has glaze bubble bursts, roughness to the bottom rim, and other manufacturer's issues but still retains a certain bit of primitive charm (at least to me). It stands about 3 1/2" tall. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Don

 

Hi Don, cute little jar that I cannot help you with, but you are a hard guy to chase down when I go looking for you!!! HAPPY SPRING!!!! As well as Easter!!!! Which is about to come crashing in upon us!!!! Are you ready????? BTW, PLEASE tell me if you've had enough or don't like or if it's too big!!!!!
Sue

 

Been looking at this jar several times, Don, and the one thing that strikes me as strange (or at least not something I'm used to seeing) is the color. Is it really that rusty brown I see on my monitor or is that a trick of the lighting?

 

I'm seeing a pretty rusty brown..................

 

I see what you are looking at - all the crazing.
Don - is it crazed inside?

It could have turned that rusty brown from heat, being in a garden or sitting outside in rusty water.

The bottom looks right - not newer.

Only my opinion, don't have it in hand to really inspect it.

 

But the peek at the inside (3rd picture) shows an even darker shade of solid rusty brown, when normally I would expect a much lighter shade of greyish white. Don - is the entire inside that same color or just what is visible in the shot?

 

Bakersgma - if anything it's a little more brown than the pictures show. In researching I came across the word "tea-stained" and that pretty well describes it. "Mud-stained" might be another. The inside is the same color as the outside but without the blueish lines and smudges. The inside is not quite as blotchy as the outside and has the types of lines I think of as characteristic of hand thrown. The thrower was experienced.

Sue - how can I have enough of your designs when they keep getting better and better! Thank you!

As for the jar, the color lacks any redness I think of when I imagine rusty brown.

Cluttered - no crazing or staining on the inside. I'm pretty sure it's the color of the original clay without any attempt at coloring besides the blueish decoration.

The interior shot is deceptive. It is not brown but more a grayish tan like the bottom. I should not have included it.

Thanks, everyone, for looking. Don

 

Sorry - on closer examination I do see interior crazing but only on the very bottom.
Don

 

It looks like rusty brown and I saw several stoneware are this color. However, the main question is there is pattern and the pattern is fading.

 

Thank you for your response Asian Fever. I am afraid that I can't tell if the decoration has faded or not. There is stripe around the top portion which separates into two lines at one point but merges back into one stripe. I've included a picture of the separation below. The bottom stripe is solid all the way around. It definitely is intentional. I do not see any sign of further decoration beyond the "smudge" in the middle. I initially dismissed the smudge as a fingerprint or some kind of individual artisan mark to keep track of how many items were produced. I realize now that I may have been imposing a western standard on a process I do not understand. The smudge could be some type of animal perhaps? I do not see any other decoration beyond those already mentioned. Don

 

Your pot reminds me of this one I bought at the car boot about 4 years ago. The simple design and shape. When I researched mine I thought it to be antique probably a lot more than 100 years old. I’ve not been able to find out anything else.

 

I think they are Chinese exporting stonewares could possibly dating from early 18th century to late 19th century.
Houseful's jar has very strong chinese elements with pale white color. While dgejwc's jar with a color which is more common for Japanese jars.

 

Thank you, Asian Fever and Houseful. The pictures of a Chinese jar was very helpful to my understanding of Chinese vs. Japanese tea jars. I was really stumbling in the dark on this one and the help of everyone here on the board opened a new area for me. Now if you will all excuse me, I need to update my avatar.
Don

 

Don....I didn't realize you can't see it says "Happy Spring Everyone"....will have to check in REAL SIZE henceforth!!!!!!! I'll play and see if I can fix it!!!!

 

It's there Sue, just a little hard to read. Changing the color might help it stand out more. It still looks really cool!
Don

 

Don, I have tried to link to a 1st Dibs page but I’m getting confused and messing things up here on my iPad and I’m going to just say check out a page there which was selling 16th century Ming ginger jars and pots. One looks very like yours and one looks like mine.

 

Thank you for your efforts, Houseful. I will see if I can find it on my own. Links can be so tricky sometimes!

 

OK, try this one on for size!!! FYI, I do save in Photoshop, ALL layers, so easy editing!!!!

 

Got it! Thanks!
Don

 

Is this the one you are talking about?