SOLD – Chinese 19th-Century Porcelain Tea Jars

A vibrant and finely hand-painted pair of late 19th-century Chinese porcelain tea jars, richly decorated in the famille rose (fencai) palette. Each jar features a unique combination of elegant courtly figures and lighthearted, festive vignettes, some showing refined adults holding flowers or fans, others depicting more playful scenes with musicians, dancers, and celebratory gestures. These narrative images are framed within yellow scrollwork cartouches and surrounded by floral medallions and lotus motifs on every face of the jar. This blend of graceful and joyful imagery was typical of the Guangxu period (circa 1880–1900), reflecting ideals of harmony, prosperity, and cultural refinement in domestic life. The jars are square-bodied and retain their original lids, which are capped with floral rosettes and rest atop unglazed rims. The unglazed bases show age-appropriate wear and soiling, consistent with antique Chinese export porcelain of this era.
Traditionally used for storing tea or herbs, these richly decorated jars now make beautiful standalone decorative pieces or a striking matched pair for collectors. Very good vintage condition with scattered wear, minor enamel losses, and soiling to unglazed surfaces, all consistent with age and use.

4.5” wide, 2.75” deep, and 6” high.