My Large Chinese Guangdong Meiping Jar

Ahhh, the feeling of having scored a major buy this year.  I managed to transact this really nice large Guangdong (or even Fujian) brownware for about $200.  Large antique ceramics this size are nowadays rare and difficult to find especially if it was sourced from backyard connections, or from a farm-to-table mode of transaction.  Most large Song dynasty stonewares are Meiping in design, such perfect shapes for any living room. Buying it from a primary source via one runner not only cuts down the value-added cost, it also gives the collector leeway for bargaining.

This is quite different from buying from a well-established antique dealer.  That dealer would definitely have a good idea on how valuable the item is, and knows the price range of its intended market.  Although bargaining can be done between collector and antique dealer, the amount being bargained would still be in the seller's favor.   Shops would sometimes have spectacular pieces, but the prices would be spectacular as well.   This jar would hover above $500-$600 in some shops I know.

The jar at hand is made with stone buff clay with an ochre glaze.  This is characteristic of brownware or stoneware jars from Guangdong or Guangzhou, China during the Song to the Yuan dyansties.  The design is made up of curvilinear lines on the widest part of the body, probably a vegetal motif like a vine.  The glaze is already eroded in some places perhaps due to the abrasive or acidic nature of the soil in which it was buried. Still, it's authentic and rustic nature appeals to me.

The thing that made me decide to get this was the fact that there is no restoration of any kind, no cracks, or missing parts.  It was in perfect albeit degraded condition.  As such, one must be pounce on the opportunity and never let it go.

So today, I texted my runner if his source has more jars like this, in this kind of condition. I am keeping my fingers crossed.