Blue and white Chinese porcelain is everywhere these days and although it has all the characteristics of a trend, it is also a timeless decorative element that’s been around for centuries. The difference is that in the past it only graced the shelves of grand houses and knowledgeable collectors. Unfortunately, truly antique Chinese porcelain, and we’re talking 100+ years old pieces, are rare and therefore command a serious price tag, as witnessed by this incredible story of someone finding a $35 blue and white bowl at a yard sale, a bowl that turned out to be a fine 15th-century piece that later sold at auction for over $700,000.
Cost prohibitive for many, these antique pieces are only found in private collections and museums around the world. (Unless of course you’re lucky and your neighbor has one, in which case perhaps you should suggest a yard sale? 🙂 )
The good news is that there are many beautiful pieces on the market that are replicas of original Chinese porcelain designs and come with an affordable price tag. Personally, I love the look of aged porcelain, with patina and signs of age, so I am always on the lookout jars, bowls and vases that have an antiqued glaze finish. I’ve shared several of my favorite sources over the last few months but I thought I’d bring them all under the umbrella of a single post. I know many of you love decorating with blue and white Chinese porcelain, and I’m here to tell you that there is one extremely affordable & unexpected source for it: Amazon.
I know, and agree, that it sounds more romantic to buy pieces that have a story, but sometimes, at least in my case, frugality and convenience win. The money I save on buying the so-called antique jars at antiques dealers and design boutiques can go into the “pretty fabrics for my living room fund”.
Temple jars, really beautiful and large ones, can be bought at local design boutiques for several times the price you’d pay to purchase that same piece directly from the manufacturer, who’s selling them through… you’ve guessed it, Amazon. Because you’re further down on the food chain, the price tag is considerably less painful. Not convinced? Here are some of my favorite examples to share with you. (I trust you not to buy the whole stock and leave some for me 🙂 )
19″ Tall China Temple Jar, Antique Glaze, in the Ming Style
Same size and shape, different patterns depicted:
19″ Tall China Temple Ginger Jar, Antique Glaze, in the Ming Style
Another large, beautiful piece:
9″x9″x9″ Ancestor Jar with Landscape Designs
Small covered jar/vase in the China Ming Style (you won’t believe the price):
Another small piece (4.5″ x 4.5″ x 5″), with a beautiful antiqued glaze finish:
Another large temple jar:
19″ Temple Ceramic Ginger Jar Vase, China Ming Style
And last, this little guy:
Porcelain Oriental Spice Jar, Double Happiness in Blue and White Glaze
These are only a few of my favorite Amazon finds, there are so many more great chinoiserie pieces, only a click a way. These are either items that I have purchased in the past (the bird & flower spice jar for instance) or items I currently have in my cart. If you’re looking to start a collection of blue and white chinoiserie or add to your existing one, keep an open mind when you look at these and consider that some of these poorly lit photographs don’t do these items justice. Hope you see something you like. And if you do, leave some for me!
Have a peaceful weekend!
It is an incredible story….but not in the way it’s being portrayed by the media. It’s hard to believe the person who paid $35 at the yard sale did not know what they were buying, when, at the same time, they knew enough to have it appraised by Sotheby’s. How many people do that with yard sale purchases? Oh, I think I’ll just have Sotheby’s take a look at this. Just hope they are sharing their good fortune with the Seller.
But, I do love blue and white, thanks for the affordable resource.
Author
Hi Janie! Thanks for stopping by and commenting! This story portrays the most sensational angle, of course. I absolutely believe the buyer knew exactly what he/she was buying. This is where a knowledge/familiarity with antiques comes in handy and one person’s trash becomes another person’s treasure. Literally. So what this comes down to I think is some rare form of kismet – the right person, at the right place and time. The bowl is pretty and anyone who loves this kind of decor would have probably bought it, but the decision to show it to Sotheby’s came from knowing a thing or two about porcelain antiquities and chinoiserie in particular. I too hope they shared the fortune with the seller…
The danger I find is with the less popular items. Sometimes my husband and I watch the Antiques Roadshow and people bring in horrible-looking things (to my uninitiated eye) that they’ve purchased at second-hand shops and that turn out to be extremely valuable. Things that I would never in a million years bring into my home, let alone pay for them. So yes, knowledge is potential power…
Sending you all the best!
xo, Eva
Oh, I adore blue and white pottery! I have lots reproductions of Chinese and Delft pieces, and never pay a lot for them. Many can be gotten at estate sales. A good source I’ve found is a company called East Enterprises out of Virginia. They import lamps and other pieces (vases, bowls, etc.) and are trade only, but you might want to contact them to set up an account for your design business. They can be found at eastenterprises.net
Author
Thanks so much for the tip, Diana! So generous of you, I”ll check them out! xo, Eva
Hi Eva,
This is very helpful. I can create a “story” for the savings. Ha. I found a few pieces on Houzz.com. Some of their pieces are pricey, but there are a lot of items for less.
Thanks for finding the best sources for us.
Karen
Author
Hi, Karen! Glad you found something of interest to you within these links! xo, Eva
I was so excited when I saw your post! I clicked on the link for the first jar and received the disheartening message “Your selected delivery location is beyond seller’s shipping coverage for this item. Please choose a different delivery location or purchase from another seller.” I guess I’ll have to go to Plan B. Except I don’t have a Plan B. heavy sigh.
Author
I am so sorry the seller won’t ship to your location! I haven’t had that happen before. Hope you find something else that works and ships to where you live. xo, Eva
Three Swallows sells much better knock offs…….their products are found in many more upscale shops.