34" Blue & White Bird and Flower Temple Jar Lamp

Customize your table lamp with the lamp base, shade, and finial of your choice and enjoy free shipping on all Avala lamps and porcelain products!  This lamp comes on your choice of acrylic, rosewood, or beveled wood bases.  The rosewood and wooden bases also may be gilded with a gold leaf finish for an additional charge.  Lamps with gilded finish will come with a gold leaf finial.  Lamps with acrylic bases will typically come with an acrylic finial unless you see a different finial pictured with the lamp body, base, and shade  of your choice.  Also note, that pleated shades may be selected for an additional charge.  Please call us at (781) 631-5555 or email us at customerservice@roomtonic.com for assistance. 

What is a Bird and Flower Temple Jar?

The term, 'Temple Jar' was coined by western buyers of those Chinese export jars, which in China are referred to as a jiangjun guan (general or marshal jar), due to the resemblance of the cover with its finial to an army general's helmet. This jar shape first appeared in Jiajing through Wanli (1522-1620) reigns of the Ming dynasty, and it became quite popular during the Kangxi period (1662-1722). It is also known to many collectors today as a 'Baluster Jar' because of its baluster-like form. The word baluster refers to an architectural 'turned vase' shape common in balcony and stair case rails. As a porcelain ware, this specific shape began as an elongated covered jar in the early 18th century, as part of decorative 'garniture' sets originally made for the Dutch Market. These sets were made in a matching series of similar vases and lidded jars which could be combined in sets of three, five, or seven.

The wider fuller form Baluster Jar -or- Temple Jar, depicted in this table lamp originally evolved from the hu (jar) shape in bronzes dating back to the Chinese Han dynasty. Lidded jars of this fuller form, were widely used as wine or water jars in Macao during the late Ming dynasty.

This hand painted Chinese blue and white porcelain temple jar and cover, is raised on a spreading foot with a scrolling landscape scene full of birds and peonies under a shoulder bearing four molded foo lion masks and Chinese meandering 'Greek Key' fret border encircling the collar.  The jar cover is decorated with a similar foliate decoration reaching down towards a flat rim.

The heaped and piled decoration of the jar was common in the early Ming dynasty. During the 14th and 15th centuries, there was a tendency of cobalt decoration to be so heavily applied that it would break through the glaze and create dark patches of pure cobalt. These patches on the surface of the glaze would present dark, violet-like blackish spots because of the high pigment concentration, or due to impurities in the cobalt. 

Today this heaping and piling technique can be found on some of our porcelain reproductions with underglaze blue decoration to recreate this authentic style and period of the early Ming dynasty.

Why should you buy this table lamp?

For those designers and home owners who appreciate bespoke works of art and beauty, these one of a kind table lamps bring the utility of ambient light into your home on the body of a hand-made and hand-decorated porcelain vessel that was created with the unique artistry of long-honored Chinese motifs and imperial patterns along with the same potting, painting, and firing methods used in the ancient kilns of Jingdezhen, China.

What else should you know before you buy this table lamp?

Shade measurements and related details below are specific to the lamp, shade, base, and finial shown in the first image of the picture gallery.  While some images may depict wider shade trims, please be aware that all shades come with a 1/2" trim only.  

Since these works of art are hand-made, measurements are approximate and can vary depending on the potter who is making the piece.  Slight differences in size do not constitute defect.  Because these porcelain vessels are hand-decorated, color and design can also vary depending on the artist applying the cobalt decoration or polychrome enamels, as well as the temperature of the kilns used to fire these pieces.  Differences in color or decoration do not constitute defect.  Handmade and hand decorated, all lamps are made to order.  If purchasing a pair, please order them at the same time so we can ensure a close match.  

Please review the product details and our shipping and returns policies.  Make To Order (MTO) items are not returnable.  Again, differences in color, size, and decoration, do not constitute defect.  While we warranty that they will arrive free of damage or defects, there are rules to follow when making a warranty claim.  We encourage our customers to read our Warranty Policy before making their purchase.

Since these lamps are made to order, please allow 2 to 3 weeks for your item to arrive.  

Make to Order (MTO) items may not be returned.  For more information, please see our Returns Policy.

LIMITED WARRANTY ON SHIPPING DAMAGE OR DEFECTS

Room Tonic warranties that all items will be delivered free of damage or defects.

Should any damage occur during shipping, customer must inform Room Tonic's Customer Service within 3 business days of delivery and customer must take photographs or video to illustrate the damages with the product in place and unremoved from the original packaging. Images and/or video must be sent to Room Tonic Customer Service upon request. 

If any defects are discovered or observed, customer must inform Room Tonic's Customer Service within 3 business days of delivery and customer must take photographs or video of such defects and send them to Room Tonic Customer Service upon request. 

Room Tonic will inform you if return shipping is required, in which case the product must be re-packed in the original packaging and a prepaid shipping label will be provided to you. Upon receipt of the returned item, a replacement will be shipped to you. In the event that such item is out of stock, Room Tonic will issue a full refund.

Due to the fragility of porcelain and the nature of Room Tonic's Limited Warranty and Free Shipping policy with Avala products, we can not and will not accept returns for any reason other than damage during delivery or manufacturer defect, both of which must be disclosed within three business days of confirmed delivery.  Manufacturer defect deals with anything mechanical in the lamp hardware that is not operating properly.  Any apparent accidental breakage at the hand of a customer, or the handler on behalf of a customer, will not be replaced or refunded. Please inspect your delivery at the time of unpackaging and be camera-ready to capture any damage, cracks, or breakage at the time of unpackaging. Also be camera ready to capture pictures or video to illustrate immediate defects with the lamp itself or its mechanics.

For more information on shipping, please read our Shipping Policy. For information on refunds and returns, please read our Returns Policy.

AUTHENTIC HOME FURNISHINGS AT THE HIGHEST QUALITY

Porcelain table lamps carried by Avala International Inc. are made in China using thousand-year old firing and glazing techniques to create works of art including Ming style underglaze blue and white, Kangxi polychrome enamel designs, Qianlong Famille Rose, Imari, and much more.