34" Chinese Martaban Ochre Brown Glazed Earthenware Ceramic Dragon Jar
This large Martaban mottled brown-glazed earthenware jar measures an impressive 34.5" tall and 31" across, and features writhing dragons across the shoulder and sides. Dyed and braided bamboo decorates the neck. Its condition is very good. There are no repairs or serious damages, but there are some chips from along the bottom edge. We believe this piece is relatively new, probably dating from the late twentieth century. The four-character mark appears to indicate the location of the maker and translates roughly to "factory by the ocean and Yuan" which is a river winding through the Guizhou province (in southern China) toward the Hunan province to the east. These provinces are adjacent to the Guangzhou province (known in English as the Canton province), where most Martaban style ceramics are produced in China. This item was consigned by a long-time client in Manhattan, and unfortunately we have no further details on provenance. The term Martaban is used in the west to refer to the ceramic wares commonly exported from the port city of Marta ban in Burma, an important stop on the trade routes dealing in Chinese ceramics.
