This pair of monumental covered urns are some of the largest examples of pistol-handled vases—most are nearly half the size of the present pair. Made in the last quarter of the 18th century in China for export to the British market, the vases are both elegant and substantial. With creamy porcelain bodies, the colored enamel and gilded decoration is fresh and finely painted. The bases of the urns are decorated with a striped design imitating marble. This form of vase derives from classical funerary urns and represents the renewed interest in ancient source material made popular by designers like Robert Adam and the neo-classical style. Both British ceramics manufacturers at home, such as Wedgwood & Bentley, and Chinese factories abroad, responded to the demand for classically inspired decoration on a variety of ceramic forms.

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