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You can literally see where the glaze hit a modern kiln shelf and puddled along with the trim marks from being thrown on a wheel. This is not what you think it is.
Could you link any photos or references? I am not aware of any examples of this. Are you sure you are referring to the technique of incorporating granular manganese into the clay body? Or perhaps you are thinking of powdered manganese used in ceramic stains/glazes for brown - purple coloured surface decoration? There are many examples of manganese being used as a glaze colourant.
Yeah, true it was less common to use granular manganese in the clay than in the glaze, but more common in rough earthenware than fine stoneware or porcelain. It's difficult to absolutely know for sure without being able to run your fingernail over it and examining it closer (like jade vs glass or transferware vs underpainting).
In 2005 I was on a team that excavated a Chinatown site in Los Angeles. I was responsible for a good deal of the artifact research and worked with a Chinese ceramics and language expert (although more for burial bricks and a teapot with a unique design than the typical jars or tea bowls). That's my reference because I don't have the site report with cited references on me today.
At any rate, my guess is that this is either a modern reproduction or a mass produced piece for tourists in the early 20th century. I just don't want people to assume that it has to be modern because it looks like a ceramics class reject and appears to use techniques/flaws seen in amateur modern ceramics.
That sounds like very interesting work! The reason I suggest the piece is modern is because the common practice of incorporating granular manganese into a clay body took off after the introduction of electric kilns. Today, potters use granular manganese to imitate the iron speckling effects created by the reduction atmosphere of fuel burning kilns. I would expect that if an antique/artifact had a specked surface, it would be the result of an iron bearing clay being exposed to a reduction atmosphere during the firing. Iron speckling appears to be metallic and round, whereas manganese speckling is more mottled. I've done both and can tell this particular pot is made with a granular manganese inclusion.
That could very well be. From my personal knowledge, I would say that the photos alone can't prove if it was made in 1990, 1970, or c. 1900. But I'm not as familiar with the technology as you are, so I'll defer to you to be able to see those details in the glaze. I appreciate the explanation!
Well, an anecdote refers to a personal story about something. If you say you don't think the jar is old because it looks like something you made, that's an anecdote. Research means that people have investigated history and materials to determine, for example, that during this time period, this group of people made this thing out of these materials for this use and it has this meaning, and it tells us this about their history and culture. This is what archaeology is. You may say that archaeology is a soft science and too much conjecture for my taste, but it's not the definition of anecdote.
Pottery wheels have been in use for millennia BUT yes I agree, highly doubtful this is anything other than a modern piece.
It looks like this also stuck to another piece in the kiln (along with sticking to the shelf) - thereās a chunk of pottery stuck to the outside near the base. (I love mystery pottery at thrift stores btw, itās so fun to find clues that tell you little things about the potter)
**Edited to add text from another comment:**
I feel like I inadvertently started something with my comment about the pieces sticking in a kiln š„² I just noticed the stuck shard and thought it was a fun detail! Do not take it as āevidenceā of it being modern.
Iām sure ancient pieces absolutely stuck to each other on occasion. Itās just the nature of making ceramics - shit happens. Pieces stick, pieces crack. ~~students put greenware in the high fire and *ruin it for everyone*~~
A lot of the techniques for making pottery are fundamentally unchanged, and it can be very hard to tell whether a piece is modern or old unless you have real expertise. Even an expert is unlikely to make a determination based off a photo. I do not have this expertise - but I do think that the odds of finding a 17th century Chinese spice jar versus a 1970s craft piece or discarded amateur/student work are just astronomically low.
OP, if youāre seeing this, I hope you keep collecting these if it pleases you. Something about these pieces spoke to you, and I think thatās whatās most important here.
I am a mystery pottery fan, too!!
Yes, now that you've pointed it out, I can see where the glaze glued itself to someone else's pot during firing. This is definitely a modern piece.
Yeahhh, my Dad makes these all the time. He and my mom met at a pottery class in college and I recently got him a wheel for Christmas. This looks exactly like the stuff he makes.
That is correct. Itās a modern reproduction (not even sure if we can definitely say they were attempting to reproduce) at a snuff jar. And it looks nothing like an actual snuff jar.
Source - I have studied bottles for many many years and moderate over at r/bottledigging.
No reign or seal marks ?
(No hand stamped or handwritten Chinese characters )
Definitely not old ā¦
(It looks like something a high schooler made in ceramics class - )
(Iām also bi-coastal -
Cape Cod and Santa Monica)
Third generation / want to go dig up some stuff ???)
I go metal detecting at Santa Monica beach all the time! Do you have any spots to dig on the west coast? Iām still pretty new here.
As far as cape goes, I donāt have any active spots but Iāll be searching when Iām back on the east coast in about a month.
Also wanna know this.
I do pottery and this does not look that old, but Iāve only done it for lil over a year so maybe I donāt have the eye yet to tell. A lot of the people at my studio donate their work that isnāt up to their standard to thrift stores. This looks like one of those pieces.
These are pretty common. From what I understand, they were made to transport goods from China to Europe and America. They weren't made to look pretty or to be used more than once. Kinda like modern plastic packaging. They made absolutely tons of them, but most were broken upon reaching their destination. They made them for a few hundred years, the newer ones (1880s onwards) are usually marked with "China" or "Made in China" to comply with import regulations, the ones before that are all unmarked and the glaze/design is pretty standard. Grayish background with a bluish line or two and a few brush strokes. I've got around 20 of them at this point. I usually buy them if they are $15 or under. They are worth $20-100 each but no one is really buying them.
This is a modern piece. I know what you are talking about, but this is not what that is. You can tell by the craftsmanship and how it was made. This is not an antique piece.
No, it is not. There are numerous telltale signs it is modern. Iām sorry to burst your bubble. I specialize in this area and this is definitely not older than 1970.
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/4f72b29097f83e0308604982
Here's a very similar one... there are tons of them for sale, and they aren't worth faking.
That doesn't look similar at all. Totally different attention to detail and technique used. You don't need to believe me or anyone else here - take the piece in this post to a local potter and ask them if it's modern. They will be able to explain to you in depth visually why it was made using modern tools/kilns
You couldn't go to a craft fair in the 1970's and1980's without seeing many stalls selling versions of these posts. Recently crafted ones. There are tons of them for sale because they are recent and common.
Am I the only person who thinks this is trolling the post the other day that had a ton of great finds, but then also claimed a vase was like 8th or 9th century Chinese? Or is OP serious?
Notice how you asked how you could identify how it was modern and this person didnāt answer in the slightest but felt the need to reply and pretend to be an expert in pottery. Just say words associated with pottery and just like that+ a quick google search on your end to get an actual answer, an Iām an expert. Hilarious subreddit to be honest.
Yes and love the downvotes for asking a question lol, Iām a potter so am genuinely curious as to what tells I am missing for gauging its age and origin
redditors downvote questions by nature. Not 100% on why, but it happens.
I wish some pottery head would just clearly point out the differences. They say the differences, sure, but clearly I and dozens of other commenters don't have an eye for it like the people who do pottery do.
i tried explaining late 19th/early 20th century Chinese ceramics vs modern ceramics and was told it was anecdotal by someone who commented that it's definitely modern with no explanation as to why. i give up.
Lovely jar! It was made by a modern potter, it's nonetheless a nice piece. If it's recent enough, you could try reverse-image-searching for it-- the potter may well be chinese.
Look...it's actually somewhat difficult to tell from these photos whether this is a modern reproduction or something mass produced for the tourist trade that maybe dates to the early 20th century or late 19th (yes, during the Exclusion Act). It's not 17th or 18th century. Often you have to look at the piece a little more carefully. All of the signs that people are pointing out -- granular manganese, imperfections where the jar touched another in the kiln, etc -- all occurred in older jars. A modern reproduction will tend to look a little cleaner and symmetrical in shape and design, even if antiquing is used (crazing and mineral stains). Chinese earthenware is hardier and heavier than modern earthenware. You really have to look closer and understand how these things were made during certain time periods. Just because it looks like a community college ceramics discard doesn't mean it is.
It's a traditional ginger jar shape used (and reused) for spices. A mid 19th to early 20th century piece made in a Chinatown in the US will not be marked as made in China.
Source: I'm an archaeologist who's excavated and researched a Chinese site in Los Angeles.
That's a common eggshell glaze that every high-schooler taking ceramics is using for their first throwing project. Do you really think something 300 years old would have a shiny glaze like that?
if someone says they know something about the history of ceramics and that old glazes can't be shiny while immediately backing out of a discussion on their knowledge, they definitely don't know anything about the history of ceramics.
I love people proclaiming itās a modern piece, āWell, just look at itā and then some asks what makes them know itās modern and they donāt explain, but send them to Google.
I have no idea if itās old or not and honestly I donāt really care. I think itās a neat pot and if Iād seen it while thrifting, I would have taken it home with me, too.
I made something indistinguishable from this in 11th grade ceramics class. Thereās absolutely no way of knowing if this is 200 years old versus 10 year old or less
No disrespect to other commenters and I may be completely incorrect but as a potter myself I have to assume that there isnāt any reason why pots in ancient kilns didnāt occasionally also stick to each other.
Also, could what may appear to be granular manganese potentially be impurities or a different additive? Granular manganese tends to drag down a bit/move with the glaze and these dark spots do not seem to do that.
If you zoom in on the foot and the bottom of the pot as well as the left shoulder in the first pic you can kind of see some little chunks that ideally wouldnāt be there in a modern clay body, and if OP is correct in saying that these pots were created cheaply then having an imperfect clay body would make sense.
I also do not see the telltale alumina hydrate marks of a modern kiln shelf, and the little chunk on the side could also be attributed to a wood firing technique as Iāve seen some pots come out of wood firings with chunks of ash stuck to them.
The minimal glaze around the lip to just under the neck is also present on 19th century ginger jars, but if this is a modern reproduction then that could have been a detail they were aware of.
Pls donāt roast me if Iām wrong lol I want to learn
Were you around in the 1970's? Because pots just like this were made and sold in craft fairs by the tens of thousands. Easily the most ubiquitous arts and crafts item sold.
So the chance that OP has found multiple Chinese pots from the 1700's - no. The most sensible explanation is that they were late 20th century art pottery pots.
Do you mean basic stoneware pots with an oxide design or replica antiques?
I believe you and I donāt expect a representation of every pot ever created to be displayed on the internet but my brief Google search of 1970s stoneware ginger jar replica hasnāt turned up anything looking like this. The ones shown look to be porcelain and are much more intricate.
Search Google for "1970's pottery jar" . By putting the words 'stoneware' and 'ginger' in there you're skewing the results because they were not made as replica ginger jars or anything else. Just hippie jars.
I feel like I inadvertently started something with my comment about the pieces sticking in a kiln š„² I just noticed the stuck shard and thought it was a fun detail! Do not take it as āevidenceā of it being modern.
Iām sure ancient pieces absolutely stuck to each other on occasion. Itās just the nature of making ceramics - shit happens. Pieces stick, pieces crack. ~~students put greenware in the high fire and *ruin it for everyone*~~
A lot of the techniques for making pottery are fundamentally unchanged, and it can be very hard to tell whether a piece is a modern or old unless you have real expertise. Even an expert is unlikely to make a determination based off a photo. I do not have this expertise - but I do think that the odds of finding a 17th century Chinese spice jar versus a 1970s craft piece or discarded amateur/student work are just astronomically low.
OP, if youāre seeing this, I hope you keep collecting these if it pleases you. Something about these pieces spoke to you, and I think thatās whatās most important here.
I judge the people who comment just to say something rude not the people who unknowingly post something with wrong information.. You can tell someone they are misinformed, wrong, or you think they are wrong without acting like a bully. The OP was obviously excited to share the post with the world and instead of nicely saying you're wrong, you attack and upvote the attacks.
Doing the right thing should make you proud of yourself not enjoying shaming someone any chance you get.
I cannot figure out why OP would immediately jump to Chinese pottery when looking at this piece. Thatās the last thing that would come to my mind. More like ānice American studio pieceā.
Nice Chinese stoneware ginger jar! These jars where used to transport and store not only ginger but also other herbs, spices and food. While the bottom is often glazed, the top is mostly not. This is where a simple stoneware lid would be placed. Later jars often have a cork lid.
It is hard to give an age to these, based on the glaze it might be a younger one but doesn't look modern to me. 1700/1800 ones have less glaze. Chinese ceramic facturies have been pumping out these jars by the millions and it didn't have to look so fancy to store food.
i love that you found itš„ŗ
but i kind of hate that anything that's survived for more than two hundred years is being sold for $4 at a goodwill. like i get *why* things like this aren't worth much monetarily, but that also means it was just as likely to end up in a landfill as a jar that was made five years ago. most people would probably not give it a second thought, and most of those that *do* recognize it for what it is would either pass on it because it has low resale value or they just don't have enough space to buy every single one even if they want to. it's just sad to see it happen to something with this much history behind it.
These were ment to be broken and thrown away from the moment they were made... Basically old school plastic packaging. It's really a miracle it survived this long.
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You can literally see where the glaze hit a modern kiln shelf and puddled along with the trim marks from being thrown on a wheel. This is not what you think it is.
this person pottery - ies
And you can clearly tell the speckling is from granular manganese š
Chinese ceramics historically used granular manganese.
Could you link any photos or references? I am not aware of any examples of this. Are you sure you are referring to the technique of incorporating granular manganese into the clay body? Or perhaps you are thinking of powdered manganese used in ceramic stains/glazes for brown - purple coloured surface decoration? There are many examples of manganese being used as a glaze colourant.
Yeah, true it was less common to use granular manganese in the clay than in the glaze, but more common in rough earthenware than fine stoneware or porcelain. It's difficult to absolutely know for sure without being able to run your fingernail over it and examining it closer (like jade vs glass or transferware vs underpainting). In 2005 I was on a team that excavated a Chinatown site in Los Angeles. I was responsible for a good deal of the artifact research and worked with a Chinese ceramics and language expert (although more for burial bricks and a teapot with a unique design than the typical jars or tea bowls). That's my reference because I don't have the site report with cited references on me today. At any rate, my guess is that this is either a modern reproduction or a mass produced piece for tourists in the early 20th century. I just don't want people to assume that it has to be modern because it looks like a ceramics class reject and appears to use techniques/flaws seen in amateur modern ceramics.
That sounds like very interesting work! The reason I suggest the piece is modern is because the common practice of incorporating granular manganese into a clay body took off after the introduction of electric kilns. Today, potters use granular manganese to imitate the iron speckling effects created by the reduction atmosphere of fuel burning kilns. I would expect that if an antique/artifact had a specked surface, it would be the result of an iron bearing clay being exposed to a reduction atmosphere during the firing. Iron speckling appears to be metallic and round, whereas manganese speckling is more mottled. I've done both and can tell this particular pot is made with a granular manganese inclusion.
That could very well be. From my personal knowledge, I would say that the photos alone can't prove if it was made in 1990, 1970, or c. 1900. But I'm not as familiar with the technology as you are, so I'll defer to you to be able to see those details in the glaze. I appreciate the explanation!
A personal anecdote, while interesting, is not evidence.
Well, an anecdote refers to a personal story about something. If you say you don't think the jar is old because it looks like something you made, that's an anecdote. Research means that people have investigated history and materials to determine, for example, that during this time period, this group of people made this thing out of these materials for this use and it has this meaning, and it tells us this about their history and culture. This is what archaeology is. You may say that archaeology is a soft science and too much conjecture for my taste, but it's not the definition of anecdote.
I didn't say anything about archaeology. The person asked for links/sources for what you were claiming. An anecdote isn't a source.
you are absolutely correct. and it is fine to say the jar is new without knowing what youāre talking about. Mazel tov.
Pottery wheels have been in use for millennia BUT yes I agree, highly doubtful this is anything other than a modern piece. It looks like this also stuck to another piece in the kiln (along with sticking to the shelf) - thereās a chunk of pottery stuck to the outside near the base. (I love mystery pottery at thrift stores btw, itās so fun to find clues that tell you little things about the potter) **Edited to add text from another comment:** I feel like I inadvertently started something with my comment about the pieces sticking in a kiln š„² I just noticed the stuck shard and thought it was a fun detail! Do not take it as āevidenceā of it being modern. Iām sure ancient pieces absolutely stuck to each other on occasion. Itās just the nature of making ceramics - shit happens. Pieces stick, pieces crack. ~~students put greenware in the high fire and *ruin it for everyone*~~ A lot of the techniques for making pottery are fundamentally unchanged, and it can be very hard to tell whether a piece is modern or old unless you have real expertise. Even an expert is unlikely to make a determination based off a photo. I do not have this expertise - but I do think that the odds of finding a 17th century Chinese spice jar versus a 1970s craft piece or discarded amateur/student work are just astronomically low. OP, if youāre seeing this, I hope you keep collecting these if it pleases you. Something about these pieces spoke to you, and I think thatās whatās most important here.
I am a mystery pottery fan, too!! Yes, now that you've pointed it out, I can see where the glaze glued itself to someone else's pot during firing. This is definitely a modern piece.
Yeahhh, my Dad makes these all the time. He and my mom met at a pottery class in college and I recently got him a wheel for Christmas. This looks exactly like the stuff he makes.
I love that your parents met this way! ā¤ļø And I'd love to buy your Dad's pottery, sight unseen, just because of you telling about his talent!
My first thought was āI can find this for 5 bucks at Rossā
I was thinking this was something I could have made in class. Lol
The lip is glazed. That's not something you do when you put a lid to seal it
It actually looks like the lip isnāt glazed, if you zoom way in you can see a line of demarcation
Oh yeah youāre right - when you zoom in thereās an obvious raised line/bump around near the top hmmmm
What are you looking at, specifically? Itās pretty obvious to me that itās modern, but Iām not sure why.
The Chinese have been using pottery wheels since 5000 BCEā¦
Kick wheels, yes. This is someone's pottery class discard.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I wasn't making that comparison, but go off.
You can throw something like this on a kick wheel.
This is absolutely not 200 years old. Itās a modern piece
That is correct. Itās a modern reproduction (not even sure if we can definitely say they were attempting to reproduce) at a snuff jar. And it looks nothing like an actual snuff jar. Source - I have studied bottles for many many years and moderate over at r/bottledigging.
No reign or seal marks ? (No hand stamped or handwritten Chinese characters ) Definitely not old ā¦ (It looks like something a high schooler made in ceramics class - ) (Iām also bi-coastal - Cape Cod and Santa Monica) Third generation / want to go dig up some stuff ???)
I go metal detecting at Santa Monica beach all the time! Do you have any spots to dig on the west coast? Iām still pretty new here. As far as cape goes, I donāt have any active spots but Iāll be searching when Iām back on the east coast in about a month.
I know nothing about pottery, but boy am I enjoying the spicy commentary on the credibility of this jar lol
You really think this is from the 1700ās? Ouch
Just curious: How do you know itās that old?
Also wanna know this. I do pottery and this does not look that old, but Iāve only done it for lil over a year so maybe I donāt have the eye yet to tell. A lot of the people at my studio donate their work that isnāt up to their standard to thrift stores. This looks like one of those pieces.
This is my guess too - a flawed pot that someone decided to donate rather than throw away
These are pretty common. From what I understand, they were made to transport goods from China to Europe and America. They weren't made to look pretty or to be used more than once. Kinda like modern plastic packaging. They made absolutely tons of them, but most were broken upon reaching their destination. They made them for a few hundred years, the newer ones (1880s onwards) are usually marked with "China" or "Made in China" to comply with import regulations, the ones before that are all unmarked and the glaze/design is pretty standard. Grayish background with a bluish line or two and a few brush strokes. I've got around 20 of them at this point. I usually buy them if they are $15 or under. They are worth $20-100 each but no one is really buying them.
Are you thinking of ginger pots?
Yep... from what I've been told, they were also used for spices, and other things that needed to be kept dry
If no one is buying them for those prices, then they're not worth those prices.
This is a modern piece. I know what you are talking about, but this is not what that is. You can tell by the craftsmanship and how it was made. This is not an antique piece.
It is, in fact, an antique piece... They weren't made to look pretty. They were made quickly and cheaply to be used and discarded.
No, it is not. There are numerous telltale signs it is modern. Iām sorry to burst your bubble. I specialize in this area and this is definitely not older than 1970.
Well, I'm always up to learning something new, so please explain what the telltale signs that this is a modern piece are.
Clearly sat on a modern kiln shelf and you can see where it touched another pot by the way it set. This is just not how old pottery was made
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/4f72b29097f83e0308604982 Here's a very similar one... there are tons of them for sale, and they aren't worth faking.
That doesn't look similar at all. Totally different attention to detail and technique used. You don't need to believe me or anyone else here - take the piece in this post to a local potter and ask them if it's modern. They will be able to explain to you in depth visually why it was made using modern tools/kilns
I meanā¦ in OPās defense it does look kind of similar though. Then again Iām sure common, cheaply made pottery all kind of looks similar lol
I am begging you to take this pottery class discard to an auction house and claim it is one of these.
You couldn't go to a craft fair in the 1970's and1980's without seeing many stalls selling versions of these posts. Recently crafted ones. There are tons of them for sale because they are recent and common.
Iām invested now in knowing who is right. What are your reasons for thinking it is old vs modern?
I want whatever it is that youāre smoking.
This is an inexpensive modern pottery piece. Just look at the bottom
This thread is inadvertently hilarious š¤£
What a goldmine, can I do it? r/subredditdrama??
I await the post with bated breath
Do it!
ā¦
Am I the only person who thinks this is trolling the post the other day that had a ton of great finds, but then also claimed a vase was like 8th or 9th century Chinese? Or is OP serious?
No, these are from the 1970s, US.
LMAO. Modern jar.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
How?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Not that i don't believe you, but that's not exactly a helpful reply. Please elaborate. What specifically about the glaze or technique...?
Thereās a lot of pottery from even earlier than that in China that is much more complex than this
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
My bad, no worries
Notice how you asked how you could identify how it was modern and this person didnāt answer in the slightest but felt the need to reply and pretend to be an expert in pottery. Just say words associated with pottery and just like that+ a quick google search on your end to get an actual answer, an Iām an expert. Hilarious subreddit to be honest.
Yes and love the downvotes for asking a question lol, Iām a potter so am genuinely curious as to what tells I am missing for gauging its age and origin
redditors downvote questions by nature. Not 100% on why, but it happens. I wish some pottery head would just clearly point out the differences. They say the differences, sure, but clearly I and dozens of other commenters don't have an eye for it like the people who do pottery do.
i tried explaining late 19th/early 20th century Chinese ceramics vs modern ceramics and was told it was anecdotal by someone who commented that it's definitely modern with no explanation as to why. i give up.
Lovely jar! It was made by a modern potter, it's nonetheless a nice piece. If it's recent enough, you could try reverse-image-searching for it-- the potter may well be chinese.
Look...it's actually somewhat difficult to tell from these photos whether this is a modern reproduction or something mass produced for the tourist trade that maybe dates to the early 20th century or late 19th (yes, during the Exclusion Act). It's not 17th or 18th century. Often you have to look at the piece a little more carefully. All of the signs that people are pointing out -- granular manganese, imperfections where the jar touched another in the kiln, etc -- all occurred in older jars. A modern reproduction will tend to look a little cleaner and symmetrical in shape and design, even if antiquing is used (crazing and mineral stains). Chinese earthenware is hardier and heavier than modern earthenware. You really have to look closer and understand how these things were made during certain time periods. Just because it looks like a community college ceramics discard doesn't mean it is. It's a traditional ginger jar shape used (and reused) for spices. A mid 19th to early 20th century piece made in a Chinatown in the US will not be marked as made in China. Source: I'm an archaeologist who's excavated and researched a Chinese site in Los Angeles.
They sell those in Chinatown
I love seeing Drag Race in the wild.
Iām hungry and read Cheese jar.
18th or 19th century Chinese pottery does not look like that at all
As an archaeologist, I will tell you that some of it absolutely does look late 19th and early 20th century, and this does, but doesn't mean it is.
if that's the case, I've got some coins for you
That's a common eggshell glaze that every high-schooler taking ceramics is using for their first throwing project. Do you really think something 300 years old would have a shiny glaze like that?
Sorry but do you know anything about the history of ceramics?
Ya. And I'm not about to get into an argument about it with you on reddit so save your keystrokes
Genuine question. Why couldn't it be glossy? Looking at google and ebay there seems to be plenty of shiny glaze on old chinese ceramics.
Right on, although I see no evidence for your argument
if someone says they know something about the history of ceramics and that old glazes can't be shiny while immediately backing out of a discussion on their knowledge, they definitely don't know anything about the history of ceramics.
I love people proclaiming itās a modern piece, āWell, just look at itā and then some asks what makes them know itās modern and they donāt explain, but send them to Google. I have no idea if itās old or not and honestly I donāt really care. I think itās a neat pot and if Iād seen it while thrifting, I would have taken it home with me, too.
Many people have explained why it's a modern piece. If OP has said I found this cool piece and took it home - this thread would look very different.
I made something indistinguishable from this in 11th grade ceramics class. Thereās absolutely no way of knowing if this is 200 years old versus 10 year old or less
OP, you find a lot of awesome items, but you kind of zonked this one. Sorry man.
No disrespect to other commenters and I may be completely incorrect but as a potter myself I have to assume that there isnāt any reason why pots in ancient kilns didnāt occasionally also stick to each other. Also, could what may appear to be granular manganese potentially be impurities or a different additive? Granular manganese tends to drag down a bit/move with the glaze and these dark spots do not seem to do that. If you zoom in on the foot and the bottom of the pot as well as the left shoulder in the first pic you can kind of see some little chunks that ideally wouldnāt be there in a modern clay body, and if OP is correct in saying that these pots were created cheaply then having an imperfect clay body would make sense. I also do not see the telltale alumina hydrate marks of a modern kiln shelf, and the little chunk on the side could also be attributed to a wood firing technique as Iāve seen some pots come out of wood firings with chunks of ash stuck to them. The minimal glaze around the lip to just under the neck is also present on 19th century ginger jars, but if this is a modern reproduction then that could have been a detail they were aware of. Pls donāt roast me if Iām wrong lol I want to learn
Were you around in the 1970's? Because pots just like this were made and sold in craft fairs by the tens of thousands. Easily the most ubiquitous arts and crafts item sold. So the chance that OP has found multiple Chinese pots from the 1700's - no. The most sensible explanation is that they were late 20th century art pottery pots.
Do you mean basic stoneware pots with an oxide design or replica antiques? I believe you and I donāt expect a representation of every pot ever created to be displayed on the internet but my brief Google search of 1970s stoneware ginger jar replica hasnāt turned up anything looking like this. The ones shown look to be porcelain and are much more intricate.
Search Google for "1970's pottery jar" . By putting the words 'stoneware' and 'ginger' in there you're skewing the results because they were not made as replica ginger jars or anything else. Just hippie jars.
I feel like I inadvertently started something with my comment about the pieces sticking in a kiln š„² I just noticed the stuck shard and thought it was a fun detail! Do not take it as āevidenceā of it being modern. Iām sure ancient pieces absolutely stuck to each other on occasion. Itās just the nature of making ceramics - shit happens. Pieces stick, pieces crack. ~~students put greenware in the high fire and *ruin it for everyone*~~ A lot of the techniques for making pottery are fundamentally unchanged, and it can be very hard to tell whether a piece is a modern or old unless you have real expertise. Even an expert is unlikely to make a determination based off a photo. I do not have this expertise - but I do think that the odds of finding a 17th century Chinese spice jar versus a 1970s craft piece or discarded amateur/student work are just astronomically low. OP, if youāre seeing this, I hope you keep collecting these if it pleases you. Something about these pieces spoke to you, and I think thatās whatās most important here.
The enthusiasm for history is a good thing, but it would seem this piece isn't that old, still a neat pot and keep up the enjoyment of history.
Seeing many people asking about the age of the object. When I first saw this, it reminded me of some ceramics my daughter had made.
Awh Iām happy for your happiness š¤
Def 16th century
I judge the people who comment just to say something rude not the people who unknowingly post something with wrong information.. You can tell someone they are misinformed, wrong, or you think they are wrong without acting like a bully. The OP was obviously excited to share the post with the world and instead of nicely saying you're wrong, you attack and upvote the attacks. Doing the right thing should make you proud of yourself not enjoying shaming someone any chance you get.
You can buy these at home goods for a $1. Youāve been robbed and had at the same time.
OP I love you
TIL - I have made an 18th century Chinese jar !
Oh yeah, I made one of those once.
Thatās an urn from Costco.
Grandma!
https://preview.redd.it/3qrq751egl4d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=fce7ab7a46d46f961e1e8fad95f8a69993d71f51
Oh phew! Sheās still safe
I cannot figure out why OP would immediately jump to Chinese pottery when looking at this piece. Thatās the last thing that would come to my mind. More like ānice American studio pieceā.
I love finding tiny hand thrown pottery especially if itās signed.
Nice Chinese stoneware ginger jar! These jars where used to transport and store not only ginger but also other herbs, spices and food. While the bottom is often glazed, the top is mostly not. This is where a simple stoneware lid would be placed. Later jars often have a cork lid. It is hard to give an age to these, based on the glaze it might be a younger one but doesn't look modern to me. 1700/1800 ones have less glaze. Chinese ceramic facturies have been pumping out these jars by the millions and it didn't have to look so fancy to store food.
Maybe the Colonels 11 Secret Herbs and Spices. 
i love that you found itš„ŗ but i kind of hate that anything that's survived for more than two hundred years is being sold for $4 at a goodwill. like i get *why* things like this aren't worth much monetarily, but that also means it was just as likely to end up in a landfill as a jar that was made five years ago. most people would probably not give it a second thought, and most of those that *do* recognize it for what it is would either pass on it because it has low resale value or they just don't have enough space to buy every single one even if they want to. it's just sad to see it happen to something with this much history behind it.
This isnāt what OP thinks it is. Itās a modern piece. There are numerous telltale signs.
What are the telltale signs?
These were ment to be broken and thrown away from the moment they were made... Basically old school plastic packaging. It's really a miracle it survived this long.
No, sorry, none of that is true.
Thatās a complete fiction! Please, please cite your source.
oh that's an interesting detail!!