Small Monochrome Blue Vase

[Mat]

Hi again,
how old do you think is this small (14 cm) vase?
Thank you again,
Mat

[peterp]

Without a very good and close-up shot of the glaze you can not tell much with monochromes. 20th century, on the later side, I would think.

[Mat]

Thank you Peter,
I tried to take a better photo, but the result is not the best. However I post it here. Meanwhile I found out that the vase is not Chinese, but Japanese. I have found several of exactly the same shape and colour on Japanese sites, and they are Buddhist altar vases and come in pairs. The most similar were dated Meiji, but maybe Stan could make a guess as to age?
Mat

[Stan]

Hi Mat, The shape looks Japanese to me I have several Japanese vases that are similar in shape, although mine are not monochrome.

[Mat]

Stan, thank you for confirmation, when I saw the monochrome I first thought Chinese, but of course there are Japanese monochromes too...
Mat

[peterp]

Basically this shape is derived from a Chinese bronze item.

[Stan]

I have a couple bronze Japanese vases that have the same shape, Peter do you know the period that this shape first came about?

[peterp]

The original shape, or rather its proportions were different. The bronze item this is derived from is what you call a Gu vase in English. Bronze Gu vases were made already in the Shang dynasty, more than 3000 years ago. But I do not remember seeing any ears or handles on them. These possibly were added much later to the porcelain version.