Chinoiserie is a European decorative style interpreting Chinese and East Asian motifs — pagodas, birds, florals, landscapes — popular from the 17th century onward. In vases it appears as hand-painted blue-and-white or polychrome patterning.

Traditional Vases

Chinoiserie ginger jars, majolica urns, and gilded porcelain for mantles and consoles in classical interiors. Shop from Currey and Company, Global Views, and Cyan Design.

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Traditional Vases Canada – Ginger Jars, Urns & Chinoiserie Porcelain

Traditional vases use the decorative ceramic and porcelain vocabulary of European and Asian export ware — blue-and-white chinoiserie ginger jars and temple vases, hand-painted floral forms, gilded and ormolu-mounted porcelain, transferware urns, and classical baluster profiles in crackle glaze and celadon. These are significant decorative statements on mantles, consoles, and sideboards.

Explore related pieces in our traditional decorative accessories collection.

All products are priced in Canadian dollars with free shipping on orders over $199 CAD.

Styling Traditional Vases

Mantles

A pair of matching ginger jars flanking a clock or central object creates the formal symmetry traditional interiors rely on.

Consoles & Entry Tables

A single large temple vase or urn makes a strong statement appropriate to the scale of formal spaces — restraint is not the governing principle here.

Dining Tables

Keep centerpiece vessels low enough to see over, or use a tall vase on a sideboard instead where sightlines matter.

Brands in This Collection

Vases from Currey and Company and Global Views.

Traditional Vase FAQs

What is a ginger jar?

A ginger jar is a rounded, high-shouldered ceramic vessel with a domed lid, originally Chinese export porcelain used to carry spices. Blue-and-white ginger jars are among the most recognizable traditional decorative objects and are frequently used in pairs.

What is chinoiserie?

Chinoiserie is a European decorative style interpreting Chinese and East Asian motifs — pagodas, birds, florals, and landscapes — popular from the 17th century onward. In vases it usually appears as hand-painted blue-and-white or polychrome patterning.

How should traditional vases be arranged?

Symmetry is the traditional default: matching pairs flanking a central object on a mantle, or a single substantial piece centered on a console. Scale up rather than down — undersized objects look lost against period furniture.

Can these vases hold water and fresh flowers?

Most ceramic and porcelain vases are watertight, but some decorative and ormolu-mounted vessels are not intended for water. Check the individual product page before using a vase for fresh arrangements.

How do I care for decorative porcelain?

Dust with a soft dry cloth, and hand-wash gently only where the piece is confirmed water-safe. Avoid dishwashers, soaking, and abrasive cleaners, particularly on gilded or hand-painted decoration.

Where can I buy traditional vases in Canada?

Montreal Lighting & Hardware carries them online and at our Mount-Royal showroom (5670 Paré Street, Quebec, H4P 2M2). We ship Canada-wide at CAD prices with free shipping on orders over $199. Call (514) 416-2013.

Buying guide

How to Style Traditional Vases

Decorative type, scale, symmetry, and placement determine how traditional vases read in formally designed rooms.

Choose the decorative type

Blue-and-white chinoiserie ginger jars and temple vases are the most enduringly traditional — they reference the imported Chinese export porcelain that has furnished European homes since the 17th century. Hand-painted floral majolica suits rooms with botanical and garden-inspired decoration. Gilded ormolu-mounted porcelain suits the most formal neoclassical rooms. English transferware urns suit library and study applications.

Size for formal scale

Traditional vases are characteristically substantial. On a fireplace mantle, a pair of 14 to 24-inch ginger jars flanking the central object reads with appropriate formal presence. On an entry console, a single 16 to 28-inch temple vase creates the dramatic decorative statement formal traditional entryways call for. Undersized vases lose the formal presence the style demands.

Use pairs for symmetry

Traditional design is governed by symmetry. Vases on mantles, consoles, and sideboards almost always appear in matched pairs flanking a central element. A matched pair of ginger jars flanking a clock, a central floral arrangement, or a decorative object is the defining traditional mantle arrangement.

Fill with appropriate arrangements

Traditional vases suit full, abundant floral arrangements with roses, peonies, and hydrangeas — the restraint of a single dried stem conflicts with the decorative abundance of the style. On a dining table, a tall formal floral centerpiece in a classical urn or baluster vase is the traditional choice.

Location	Height range	Fill
Fireplace mantle (pair)	12" - 24"	Full floral or formal seasonal
Entry console (single)	18" - 30"	Tall formal arrangement
Sideboard (pair)	14" - 20"	Full floral or silk flowers
Dining table center	Scale to table length	Formal centerpiece arrangement
Library / study shelf	8" - 16"	Formal or empty with period quality

Common questions

Traditional Vases FAQ

What defines traditional vases?

Traditional vases use blue-and-white chinoiserie ginger jars, hand-painted floral majolica forms, gilded ormolu-mounted porcelain, English transferware urns, and classical baluster profiles referencing the European and Asian decorative ceramic vocabulary that has furnished formal homes for centuries.

What type is most enduringly traditional?

Blue-and-white chinoiserie ginger jars and temple vases — they directly reference the imported Chinese export porcelain that has furnished European homes since the 17th century.

Should traditional vases appear in pairs?

Almost always. Traditional design is governed by symmetry — matched pairs on mantles, consoles, and sideboards flanking a central element is the defining traditional arrangement.

What fills a traditional vase best?

Full, abundant floral arrangements with roses, peonies, and hydrangeas. The restrained single-stem approach of Scandinavian and organic modern design conflicts with the decorative abundance of the traditional style.

Do you offer free shipping?

Yes, free standard shipping across Canada on all orders over $199, including vases.

What brands do you carry?

We carry traditional vases from Currey and Company, Global Views, and Cyan Design.

How large should mantle vases be?

14 to 24-inch height for a standard fireplace mantle. The pair should read with formal presence — undersized vases lose the visual weight the style demands.

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