Large Antique Chinese Cizhou Storage Jar with Lid

Beautifully substantial and wonderfully individual, these large antique Chinese Cizhou storage jars are striking examples of a centuries-old ceramic tradition, each with its own hand-painted decoration, aged surface and unique character.

Cizhou ware originated in northern China and became celebrated for its expressive decoration and practical everyday forms. Traditionally, a pale slip was applied to the ceramic body before designs were freely painted in contrasting iron-rich pigments. Floral motifs became particularly characteristic of the tradition, giving these otherwise utilitarian vessels an appealing painterly quality.

Our antique jars retain that wonderfully simple aesthetic. Each has a soft, timeworn pale ground decorated with freely painted dark floral motifs, together with its original-style fitted lid. Irregularities in the surface, variations in the glaze and the marks accumulated through age give every jar an individuality that could never be replicated by a newly made piece.

At over half a metre high, these are substantial decorative antiques. Beautiful standing alone beside a console or cabinet, positioned at the end of open shelving or used as a sculptural object in an entrance hall, they bring history and quiet presence to an interior without feeling overly decorative.

We particularly love the juxtaposition of pieces such as these with contemporary furniture, natural stone, plaster, linen and old timber. It is this considered mixing of periods that gives a home the feeling of having been collected over time.

Choose Your Antique

There are two individual antique Cizhou jars available. Each varies naturally in its proportions, painted decoration, surface, colour and patina.

Jar A
Height 54cm Diameter 37cm
Internal diameter at neck opening 31cm

Jar B
Height 52cm Diameter 37cm
Internal diameter at neck opening 32cm

Each jar is sold individually. Please select Jar A or Jar B when ordering. The photographs correspond to the individual antique you will receive.

Why You'll Love Them

• Genuine antique Chinese ceramic storage jars
• Each jar is completely unique
• Impressive large scale at approximately 52–54cm high
• Characteristic pale ground with hand-painted floral decoration
• Complete with lid
• Beautifully aged surfaces and authentic patina
• Sculptural enough to display as a standalone object
• Individually sourced by Home Barn
• A beautiful way to introduce genuine Chinese antiques into a contemporary interior

A Little About Cizhou Ware

Cizhou is one of China's most important historic ceramic traditions, associated particularly with the kilns of northern China.

Unlike the highly refined ceramics historically associated with the Imperial court, Cizhou ware was largely created for everyday life. Potters produced practical bowls, bottles, jars and storage vessels, developing a distinctive decorative language that included freely painted flowers and foliage over contrasting pale surfaces.

It is this combination of utility, craftsmanship and expressive decoration that makes Cizhou ceramics so appealing centuries later.

Cizhou-type pottery continued to be produced over a very long period, so while these are antique examples, we do not attribute them to the early Song, Jin or Yuan periods without documented provenance.

Antique Character

As genuine antiques, both jars show evidence of their age and previous use. Expect irregularities in form and glaze, surface marks, areas of wear, tonal variation, imperfections around the rims and lids, and other historic characteristics.

These are not flaws we would seek to disguise. They form part of the history and individuality of each jar and are precisely what distinguish an authentic antique from a newly manufactured decorative object.

What is Cizhou pottery?
Cizhou refers to an important tradition of ceramics associated with northern China, particularly known for contrasting pale surfaces and expressive painted decoration.

Are these Cizhou jars antique?
Yes. Both are antique pieces. However, because Cizhou-type pottery was produced over a long period, we do not attribute these particular jars to an early Chinese dynasty without documented provenance.

Are Jar A and Jar B identical?
No. Each is a genuine antique and therefore unique. Their dimensions, painted decoration, colouring, glaze, surface and signs of age will vary.

Can I choose which antique jar I receive?
Yes. Select either Jar A or Jar B. You will receive the individual antique corresponding to your chosen variant.

How should I style a large antique Chinese jar?
At over 50cm high, these jars have enough scale to stand alone. They work beautifully beside a console, at the end of open shelving or as a sculptural floor-standing antique in an entrance hall, living room or large bedroom.