Cracking the Code on Real from Rogue
A dusty antique shop door or certain garage sales often unfolds before us ceramics that enchant. These seemingly timeless ceramic feats are marked by delicate patterns and vibrant colors: ginger jars exude an air of freshness even still farther on down the years. To many they must appear pieces of history waiting only to grace one’s living room, but now… how does anyone, prey to the seductive loveliness of blues and whites, determine the real thing from its imitation? Let’s move through this one step at a time.
Let’s start with the basics. Have you ever turned a jar upside down and looked at its bottom? No? You should do so! The bottom of a jar often can tell us much we do not know. The original jars typically have clear maker’s marks or stamps that indicating their origin. If it is suspiciously smooth there or bears only an imitation vintaqe mark– look out! It may be rock crystal dressed in a sheep’s skin.
Then, there’s the material. Real jars, especially those ancient beauties, often have a particular weight. They are like old friends under your hand. A fake jar, however, is featherweight as one of a promise made by politicians. When you feel these treasures, use their weight as a first assessment.
About glazing, now. The glazes on real jars when judiciously turned in your hands should present an opalescent quality, much like looking into a twilight fairy tale pond. Counterfeit jars might seem to your eyes either deplorably dull or like plastic that’s been overly polished by the hand of a teenage boy. Examine it closely in mild light, so that these fine differences come out for themselves.
And then there are the patterns and colors. Real ginger jars often are decorated with hand-painted designs. These are almost never uniform and may even contain a few brush strokes out of place as a pleasant reminder that humans were involved. Counterfeits, on the other hand, wield an all too smooth style and lines: it is all machine. Remember, perfection isn’t often natural.
It’s nothing for you to engage in a little internet detective work is it? In today’s digital world, like things in forums or online marketplaces will probably exist. A quick browse could sometimes confirm fears or put an end to suspicions. But one note here, though: the web is crawling with tricksters. So keep that third eye open–your knowledge ready at all times.
Take just one personal tale. An azure dragon said jar newly enchanted a dear friend from a busy marketplace. Her triumph was boundless until a learned guest kindly pointed out that the thing was a red herring: a veritable Talleyrand! The moral? One that cannot be bought. She avers now that that false jartaught her more than any real one ever could.
Tap into the community also. If you are at a loss, consult with fellow collectors or fellows with similarly keen eyes for these things. A seasoned jar enthusiast might unravel mysteries that our most assiduous beginner might find quite beyond him. Think of it as calling in Sherlock when your inner Watson is up against a brick wall.
A Glimpse into the World of Ginger Jars on the Web
Picture it: there you are, leisurely drinking away on online boutiques, when suddenly, “Bam!” you find a ginger jar—those big-bellied ceramic containers, modernly assuming a variety of patterns and colors. These elegant works of art catch your eye, nothing short of tempting you into purchasing one as decorations for your home. But don’t let them play tricks on you. Before your heart leaps well out of place and cash jumps out of your pocket, hit the brake pedal. Like cradling a pound of beans to find rare gems inside, buying ginger jars online presents its own little purse of sting.
Now, let’s move into the possession rate. When you compare price on the internet, sometimes it seems as odd as a carnival atmosphere. For objects that appear very similar, different logos come up all over the screen. These are very different ways of valuing how much they’re worth. One minute you see a jar for ten dollars; in the next mirror-image, substitute item, it fetches a thousand. There’s no logic in it, is there? The outside chance that a price is absurdly high might mean that it is a ripoff or a markup of epic proportions, approaching the cost of a space mission; a price way below bargain basement could mean “fake.”
Photography, inlace little demons – who, let us not forget, may deceive the eye. They say a picture is worth a thousand words…but not all photographs tell the truth. Each lovely photograph that meets your eyes may have a story behind it – one involving a filter, a prelit table lamp or the natural light outside depending on time of day and year, etc. As things are now done with photoshop these days, for example, a “commonplace” ginger jar can be made to look like a museum piece. But to be careful of images that seem overtly put-together and as if they are almost perfect: They can give you dreams, but reality could be a different kettle of fish altogether.
And what about those descriptions? Getting into them might be like reading a detective novel, many times simply full of vague sizing and ethereal language. Pay attention to phrases such as “oriental-style” or “in the tradition of typical patternss.” What do these imply? Often they mean “We’ve made it resemble the genuine article, but ours is a copy.” Over-concerned about these items not fitting the posture you purchased them for or being far too small for a requirement (say 12-inch or larger outsized jars)? Pay close attention to the specifications. No one wants to find themselves loaded down with a bunch of jars that don’t belong in this ballpark!
We also deal with those shadowy sellers. Yep, the next door neighbor might just be wearing a wool coat in sheep’s clothing. Here’s an audio piece: Emily down the road once bought what she thought was a vintage jar from an Ebay seller who had an immaculate record. But he had only started trading last week and disappeared shortly after the sale into thin air, leaving no trace. Always dig deeper–look into the seller’s background and study reviews for red flags among the thicket of recommendations.
