Blue & White Ceramics and Ginger Jars

Elegant and classic pieces, ceramic and ginger jars date back to the dynasties of China. Ginger jars first came about during the Qin Dynasty of about 200 BC, when traders would fill gorgeous colorful Chinese jars with sought-after ginger spices and haul them together back to the west. Those within the Qin Dynasty used the jars to store wine and spices. The first jars came in a rainbow of colors of patterns, and the blue and white pattern would emerge  during the Yuan Dynasty of 1271–1368AD. Historically, blue and white jars symbolized happiness within the Yuan Dynasty, which also marked a period of a cultural renaissance in China. In addition to gorgeous blue and white ceramics, the also developed drama, novel writing, scientific education, new crops, and new ideas.

Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Wine Jar, image from British Museum; Plate image from the Met Museum
Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Wine Jar, image from British Museum; Plate image from the Met Museum

Now, 800 years later, these jars are timeless pieces of décor that will never go out of style.

13062877_1077115002346146_8639582525629577719_o

These porcelain pieces have characteristics beyond just the color. Pieces with blue floral designs never fade and are healthy for the body (and the mind)! Some pieces with Chinese symbols on them are representative of prosperity and happiness, which goes beyond the beauty they behold. Find the motif on some of our lamps, too.

Sample of some of the blue and white pieces available at The Kellogg Collection.
Sample of some of the blue and white pieces available at The Kellogg Collection.

...and a few more!

13443253_1106319142759065_5386291279854974258_oAll of our blue and whites are versatile pieces. On side tables in bedrooms, in bookcases as decor, and on dining tables for added attraction, one can’t go wrong with a classic and everlasting ginger jar.

10274321_1054826097908370_1899941009986487731_n-1

Room by Debbie Blair, The Kellogg Collection
Room by Debbie Blair, The Kellogg Collection

Use it as a vase! Try filling your jar with hydrangeas, forsythia branches, peonies, or tree limbs for a beautiful added bit of the outdoors.

kelloggcollectionAs far as using these to store wine? Well, we’ll leave that tradition to the ancients!

Related Post