OKS 1971-5, Jar and cover

Covered jar of round-shouldered shape, the unglazed base recessed within a broad footring. The neck with a flat unglazed edge, fitting a domed cover. The cover decorated in underglaze blue with radiating petals around a cash-centre, around the sides a lotus scroll. The jar with a matching scroll around the neck in underglaze blue. On the shoulder a lotus and carnation scroll and the body with a peony scroll above a ruyi-band, all in red, green, and yellow enamels. Around the foot a peony scroll in underglaze blue.

This heavily potted jar of bold form was made in two parts, there is a ridge visible where the upper half of the jar has been attached to the lower half. Jars with this combination of underglaze blue and polychrome enamels confined to separate bands are rather rare, lidded ones even more so. The painting is quite delicately done. The jar was found buried in Java. The British Museum has a small example with a band of strong red reserved with flowers in white and hearts of yellow and green. On a jar of similar size in the Topkapi collection the underglaze blue and enamel colours are likewise confined to separate bands except on the shoulder where the design makes use of both together.