Commenting is deactivated.

Please post all new topics and queries to the Discussion Forum

Comments for Chinese vase more pictures

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 22, 2010
 vase
by: peter

Hello,
Looking at these pictures again I still feel confused by the wave shaped top, which looks European.

Anyway, what or from wherever it is, it has lots of enamel work on it and therefore might have some value because of the profuse decoration.
You could consider asking for an online valuation at valuemystuffnow.com. I have used their service too. Their fees are very reasonable and they should be able to give you an idea of its value.
Nov 15, 2010
 Chinese vase
by: Antonio

Thank you again Peter. Please let me know if you find out somethign more about it. Regards
Nov 15, 2010
 characters
by: peter

Antonio,
They are Chinese. Actually, the Japanese language also uses some Chinese characters, but I don't know if they would use THIS character in a decoration. This one is used seldom in Japanese, but one never knows.
BTW, it is always the same character in a different writing style, as far as I see. It's only decorative and means "long life".
Nov 15, 2010
 Chinese Vase
by: Antonio

Thank you very much Peter for your help. For what concern the bottom of the vase, the metal things that you see has been clearly added, infact it is easily removable. The pink objects you see in the middle band is a dragon with a tail olding something.Are the letters chinese character or japanese?
Nov 14, 2010
 chinese vase possibly not Chinese?
by: peter

Hello Antonio,
The decoration of the vase is baffling me. There is lots of differents auspicious Chinese characters, but overall the vase doesn't seem very Chinese.

I show you here what presents a problem:
1. The wave shape of the top is not right for Chinese antiques. Antique Chinese vases don't have that shape.
2. The foot is not right either; not unless the vase is mounted on a European-style metal base (the wreath-like form at the circumference of the bottom is not right if it is Chinese porcelain)
3. Generally said, there is a pictorial oversupply. With that I mean, apart from famille rose items made for export, usually pictures are relatively simple with Chinese porcelain.
And, there is a lot of objects I cannot identify from these relatively small pictures. For example, in the middle band (between the character bands) there are pink objects, what are they?
4. Apart from the flowers the only object in the middle band I can definitely identify is a white folding fan with black fan end strips. This also provides a quandary. This is VERY typical Japanese. Chinese seldom uses fans as decoration, but when it does they are not white/black...

I have difficulties deciding what this is after all. The above things don't seem to be Chinese, but the shape could be Japanese. The shape of the top is almost impossible in Chinese antiques. But the characters seem to point to a Chinese decoration. The objects in the middle decoration band look rather foreign for a Chinese vase, and there are too many. And there is even a Japanese-looking object (the fan). The bottom end of the vase is unusual for a Chinese vase.

The bottom looks old, but how old is difficult to tell from these pictures.
The enamel has a wealth of hand painting.
But my conclusion is still that it cannot be a Chinese antique. If it IS antique, then it must be Japanese. If it is Chinese vase it can be vintage or second half of the 20th century at the most. The wave shape of the top is just too modern for Chinese porcelain, but could be right for Japanese.

As I do not have enough knowledge of Japanese ceramics I would recommend you go to asianart.com and ask that forum for their opinion. There are some people there who are more knowledgeable about Japanese and vintage porcelain. I am mostly limited to antique Chinese ceramics. I would need to do a hands-on inspection to make sure, but on that website someone possibly has seen such items before.

As to the value, usually nobody will give you a value on items. But, you could ask a professional valuation service. I can give you the web address of one I have been using. They will give you an idea of the value at the price of a cup of coffee. But, you need to provide me your email address via the contact form so that I can send it.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Chinese vase more pictures.

Return to Ask a question or contribute - archived 2011.