Jingdezhen Cobalt Ginger Jar Ornament, 'Starry Blossom'

Cobalt Ginger Jar Ornament

A miniature ginger jar in deep cobalt, dotted all over with little white flowers like stars. Ginger jars have carried treasured goods in China for centuries; this one carries Christmas cheer. Jingdezhen, in China's Jiangxi province, has been the country's porcelain capital for more than a thousand years. Its fine white clay (the word kaolin comes from nearby Gaoling village) and its imperial kilns made Chinese blue-and-white, qīnghuā, famous around the world: designs painted in cobalt beneath a clear glaze, then fired at high heat so the blue glows from within the porcelain. Hung on a navy satin ribbon.

• Country / Region: China
• Artisan: Jingdezhen porcelain workshop
• Material: Glazed porcelain, satin ribbon
• Dimensions: 8.5 cm tall x 5 cm; ribbon 14 cm
• Weight: 10 g