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Porcelain Table Lamps

Shop Room Tonic's curated collection of porcelain ginger jar lamps and vase lamps of various shapes and sizes in blue and white, monochrome, and polychrome enamels. These lamps are potted, hand-decorated and fired just as they were in the ancient kilns of Jingdezhen, China. Timeless in design with traditional Chinese motifs and imperial patterns, these lamps add beauty and charm to any space. They make for wonderful statement pieces as living room table lamps, buffet lamps, bedside lamps and more. Customize yours by adding different shades and finials for different occasions.

Handmade and hand decorated, these porcelain lamp bodies are all potted and fired in the same kilns of Jingdezhen, China as they were over 1,000 years ago. When finished, they are shipped to the United States where master lamp makers fabricate and assemble the hardware to create lamps from these Chinese porcelain works of art. Jingdezhen, in the Jiangxi province of China is known as the "Porcelain Capital of the World" because it has been producing Chinese ceramics for over 1,000 years, and for much of that period Jingdezhen porcelain was the most important and finest quality in China and around the world. The city itself has a history of its own that stretches back over 2,000 years.

Potting and Painting of Porcelain Vessels

Potter spinning his pottery wheel to get momentum for more shaping of the piece his is makingThe potters start with fresh clay and water to create and form the vase or jar that they are making.  They often use pottery wheels and other tools to achieve the desired shape.  These tools will carve away excess clay which will be recycled and reused again. Once the form is achieved, it goes on a long board with other like pieces to dry in the sun.  Once dry enough to be fired in the kilns, the piece will be sanded and finished before glaze is applied.  When the potter has finished his or her work on the piece, the artisans and painters will then hand-decorate the piece. 

Bottle vases drying in the sun before being decoratedThere are countless themes and motifs that are painted with polychrome enamels.  Some pieces are fired twice or more depending on the effect the artist is trying to achieve.  For underglaze blue and white wares, the artist will decorate them by applying cobalt in liquid form which is blackish gray in color when applied, but once glazed and fired, the piece will be brought out of the kiln as a blue and white porcelain work of art.  This classic form of blue and white ceramics dates back to the middle of the Yuan dynasty (1300-1320). By 1350, this art form was fully developed. A classic example of these early blue and white wares can be found in the British Museum's David Vases collection which are named for Sir Percival David (1892-1964) who built the most important private collection of Chinese ceramics in the world.

The David Vases exhibit in the British MuseumWhen these wares are fully decorated, whether it be with cobalt or polychrome enamels, they will be fired in the kilns which are heated to nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Once removed from the kilns, the vase or jar is placed in a bucket where it will cool over the course of four days,  The vase or jar is then safely packed for shipping to the United States where it will be drilled, finished and assembled as a custom made table lamp that will bring an ancient Chinese art and beauty into your home.

Why should you buy our table lamps?

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.


Frequently Asked Questions

No. While underglaze blue and white table lamp bodies will not be damaged by these types of cleaning agents, other parts of the lamp might be. Gold leaf and gilding, whether on bases or finials, can be removed or smudged by these agents. They will damage and mar acrylic bases permanently making them cloudy. They will also remove wood finishes if your base happens to be rosewood.

Warm soap and water is okay to clean certain parts of your lamp, but it is strongly recommended that you refrain from using this method as water that may drip onto a rosewood base can mar and even remove rosewood finish. It is always best to use a dry lint-free cloth to wipe any dust or dirt from your lamp. Hardback shades can not be washed. Use only a dry lint-free cloth to clean hardback shades.

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