A beautiful and highly collectible mid-century Chinese export porcelain ginger jar, complete with its original matching flat domed lid. This classic Chinoiserie vessel features a robust, ovoid body hand-painted in traditional underglaze cobalt blue over a softly stippled white ground. The face of the jar is emblazoned with the large, prominent "Double Happiness" (囍) calligraphy symbol, surrounded by a dense, active field of sweet pea vines and scrolling tendrils signifying continuous marital joy and longevity. The shoulders are accented by concentric blue rings and stylized linear bands, which repeat seamlessly on the matching lid. Bearing both its original red paper export label and an authentic underglaze four-character provincial mark on the base, this iconic jar brings a timeless Grandmillennial touch to bookshelves, mantels, or tabletop vignettes.

Historical & Style Details

• Subject / Sitter / Source: Traditional "Double Happiness" (Shuangxi) Calligraphy & Sweet Pea Vines
• Artist / Maker / Author: Produced by regional artisans in Jiangxi Province (Jingdezhen) for Kiangsi Handicrafts
• Period: Mid-to-Late 20th Century / Chinese Export PRC Era (circa 1970s)
• Origin: Jiangxi Province, China
• Material / Technique: Hand-Painted Underglaze Cobalt Blue on High-Fired Porcelain
• Materials: Kaolin clay, cobalt blue underglaze oxide, vitreous clear feldspathic glaze
• Markings: Stamped on the underside with a blue four-character underglaze mark reading "中國江西" (China Jiangxi); retains its original red-and-white paper label reading "江西工藝品 / KIANGSI HANDICRAFTS / MADE IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA"
• Decorative Details: Bold double happiness characters on both the front and the lid, surrounded by a tight underglaze blue vine matrix and classic key/ring border bands
• Dimensions: approx 9.0 inches tall (including lid) x 8.0 inches wide (22.9 cm x 20.3 cm)
• Colour & Surface: Deep, rich cobalt blue motifs against a milky, slightly blue-green tinted white glazed porcelain field; smooth, reflective vitreous gloss surface
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; completely free of chips, cracks, hairline fractures, or professional restorations; the rim of the jar and inner flange of the lid show clean, unglazed white porcelain consistent with factory firing; minor expected manufacturing glaze pinholes and dark iron spots present, confirming its hand-crafted nature
• Seller's Note: Finding these mid-century export pieces with their original paper labels perfectly preserved on the unglazed base ring is exceptionally rare, providing absolute provenance that collectors love for secondary market verification.

History

The iconic "Double Happiness" (Shuangxi) design is one of the oldest and most celebrated motifs in Chinese ceramic history, traditionally commissioned as wedding gifts to wish newlyweds a harmonious life full of good fortune and fertility. The background pattern—a continuous maze of scrolling sweet pea vines—represents an uninterrupted line of descendants and enduring prosperity. During the post-cultural revolution boom of the 1970s, the state-run Kiangsi Handicrafts division revived these classic late Qing dynasty styles within the historic kilns of Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province, the centuries-old porcelain capital of the world. These pieces were specifically crafted for high-end international export boutique markets in the West. Today, these mid-century PRC-era export jars are deeply coveted by interior decorators and followers of the Grandmillennial and Chinoiserie chic design movements, who prize their heavy, substantial pottery construction and deep graphic blue presence over modern mass-produced replicas.