Begun in 1985, the present work is one of the earliest examples of Allan McCollum's series of Perfect Vehicles. Comprising nine containers made of enamelled hydrostone reminiscent of Chinese ginger jars cast, a traditional vessel that has been extensively copied and reproduced for centuries. Each sculpture is thickly painted in a different hue of commercially available paint and has no opening, utterly eliminating the typical use—value that one might expect of a vase. Jars and vases are cross-culturally symbolic as collectibles and through highlighting this everyday object, McCollum primarily refers to the custom of saving and collecting objects in today’s society.