Antique Pots & Vases

At The Silk Road Collection we offer a wide range of antique Asian pottery that can serve both as functional pieces and works of art. All pottery in stock is personally selected by our team on sourcing trips in Asia. We offer unique pots from China, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam and much more! We often search for antique jars that in the old days have been used in kitchens and households: preserving jar, stock pot, rice or grain barrel, water pot, rice wine storage… Some antique pots have a simple shape without decorations and were only used as a dry-food storage jar; others were glazed, carry stamps or imprints, and served more as a weck- or storage pot for liquid food, water or rice wine.

As often as possible we try to found out where the pot came from, how old it is and what it was used for.

Chinese ceramics and pottery

Our huge collection of Chinese pottery ranges from ancient ritual vessels to antique decorative ginger jars to old used kitchen pots. Every imperial dynasty in China saw its own innovations in manufacturing techniques and popular shapes. Pottery was popular as burial gifts during the Han and Tang dynasties and porcelain became the de facto export product during the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

Chinese ceramics have been famous for centuries for its blue-white porcelain that was highly desired and avidly collected in the West. Porcelain became so identified with China that in many English speaking countries ‘porcelain’ became synonymous to ‘china’. Chinese ceramics also had a great impact on the ceramics tradition in neighbouring countries, such as Japan and Korea, and in the Islamic world.

We select Chinese antique pots mainly for their decorative value, high quality and interesting history, not specifically as a unique collector’s item . We have found in China giant wine vessels, tiny salt containers, delicate soy sauce pourers, turquoise glazed apothecary jars, unique ox blood coloured vases and so much more! We always try to research the history behind each pot which gives extra value to its beauty!

Antique pots made into unique pottery table lamps

An antique pot can be a great addition to any style of interior when transformed into a floor or table lamp! All of our pots and vases in stock can be turned into a lamp in our workshop. Lamps made out of matte grey or terracotta pottery are popular for rustic interiors, turquoise ginger jars are often found in eclectic interiors, and we have transformed many an ancient Han dynasty pot into a lamp for collectors with contemporary style interiors!

Of course, all our pottery lamps are complemented with handmade lamp shades that fit the style of the interior.

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