Compare with a larger similarly decorated sixteenth-century jar illustrated in Gems of Chinese Art: Selections of Ceramics and Bronzes from the Tsui Art Foundation, 1992, pl. 86; and a smaller squat jar with similar decoration, but with an encircled Jiajing mark, sold in our London Rooms, 14 December 1987, lot 341.

The incised style and glaze of the present lot are reminiscent of a group of earlier ceremonial white wares from the Yongle period, and this jar was probably influenced by interest in archaism which was particularly prevalent during the Jiajing reign. For further reference to this type of archaism, see Scott and Kerr, Ceramic Evolution in the Middle Ming Period, Percival David Foundation, p. 14.

The result from thermoluminescence analysis report, Oxford Authentication no. P97t45, is consistent with the dating of this lot.