Antiques & Collecting: Don’t confuse waste bowls and slop jars

I saw a beautiful antique Chinese porcelain bowl at an auction. It was blue and white with painted dragons, and it had an unusual shape — rounded with a flared rim. The description called it a “zhadou,” but did not say what that meant.

A zhadou is a bowl for discarding used tea leaves and other table scraps. They usually have a globular body, shoulders, a flared rim and a short foot. The shape resembles a squat vase. They are often porcelain, but some are made from pottery or cloisonné. Some auctions may list them as spittoons.

In the early 20th century, the word “zhadou” was translated into English as “leys jar” from a Dutch term. Now, it is usually translated as “waste bowl” or “slop jar,” but these are not the same thing.

European and American waste bowls, often part of 19th century silver or porcelain tea sets, are shaped like conventional bowls with straight sides and a round base. Some may be more elaborate, with features like a pedestal base, flared rim or side handles.

Slop jars are not part of a table setting. They usually have handles and often have lids. They are used in a bathroom.

Advertising for beer and other alcoholic drinks is everywhere. I have a lighted — it still works — Budweiser King of Beers sign with pheasants eating corn on the cob. It has a curved plastic cover. Is it valuable?

Breweriana is very popular these days, especially signs. While neon signs are the most popular and getting very high prices, yours is a popular brand, Budweiser, and is in working condition. It is worth between $190 and $225.

Tip: Use an old nylon stocking bunched into a ball to clean a rough-surfaced mirror frame, carved wooden piece, or other irregular surface.

Current Prices

Pottery, plate, Mashiko, stylized fruit tree, speckled ground, tan and brown triangles around rim, Sakuma Totaro, 10 inches, $25.

Toy, Road Grader, driver, orange paint, cast iron, nickel plated grader blade, white rubber tires, Kenton, 1920s, 7 1/2 inches, $125.

Trivet, horseshoe shape, three legs, shoe shaped feet, early 19th century, 2 x 5 x 6 inches, $160.

Majolica, urn, on pedestal, relief grapevine around rim, relief lion’s masks on pedestal, four-lobed base, multicolor, 22 x 9 inches, $190.

Peking glass, vase, white, carved, high relief dragon scrolls, low relief leaves on neck, flared rim, round foot, engraved mark, Chinese, 10 1/2 inches, pair, $340.

Rug, Navajo, Storm pattern, two overlapping center diamonds, geometric border, tan, brown, black, Ella Henderson, 2001, 68 x 54 1/2 inches, $2,585.

Advertising, poster, Levi’s, denim, two cowboys lighting cigarette, “Without A Match,” multicolor, painted, stenciled, Velvetone Poster Co., 72 x 29 inches, $4,305.