Chinese Ming Dynasty Jiajing Reign General helmet porcelain Jar. In shape of a phoenix tail, the shape having thick potted body, sturdily potted in a bulbous body, gently tapered on shoulder toward prominent straight neck with wide opening, covered with dome lid and crowned with simple bud finial, in form of a generals helmet, crowned with an oval blue pinnacle, raised on flat base. All in a clean white underglaze base color, hand painted ornamentations are rendered in clean white underglaze base color which contrast against the cobalt blue fine color. The main body depicted figurines and various flower, grass and tree. The dome helmet decorated with dragon interspersed with scrolling tendril and lotus blooms. Dragon is the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, male vigor and fecundity. Scrolling ruyi and flower blooms decorated on the neck. Scrolling ruyi clouds on shoulder, auspicious pattern and cumulonimbus clouds decorated on the foot base rim. The composition is sophisticated and the colors are a feast for the eye. The glaze appearance resembled the texture of an orange peel "ju-pi" (chu-p'i) or a chicken skin. A characteristic heaped and piled effect, the underglaze cobalt blue concentrates in certain areas, bubbling through the surface of the glaze and turning a deep blue-black. This inadvertently gave texture, energy and shading to the design. The glaze stopping before the foot rim, revealed the pale-creme ground, with orange and grayish firing marks. The clay is very fine, with a brilliant glaze finish that was applied by a meticulous, the shape is uniformly proportioned. Initiated conjugated marks between upper and lower parts of the vase during the kiln process can be seen from uneven surface below the shoulder. The reign mark, Made In The Years of Jiajing Emperor Reign period of Great Ming Dynasty.Measurements: Height: 19-3/4" Diameter: 14-3/4"