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LARGE BLUE AND WHITE CHINESE BOWL

by Harry
(Spain)

I purchased this heavy old blue and white (the white is really a duck egg blue) bowl about 35 years ago in the repaired condition with staples etc as can be seen in the photograph. There are no pieces missing and the glaze is still nice and clear.

The bowl measures 35cm diameter, 8cm deep and weighs 2.181 kg.

There are two marks, the centre one is underglaze blue and the other appears to have been burnt into the china.

Any information would be appreciated.

Comments for LARGE BLUE AND WHITE CHINESE BOWL

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Jun 09, 2013
 I think this is OK for 17th century
by: Randy Hillard

[unrelated item picture (not similar type_ - removed by admin]

www.bonhams.com/auctions/13740/lot/105/

for similar shallow bowls, variously dated Shunzhi or Kangxi. I do not see ay evidence of transfer printing.
Jul 27, 2011
 bowl
by: peter

Hi Harry,
After ripe consideration and enlarging some of the detail pictures you sent, I came to the conclusion that it is difficult to decide if the decoration is old or printed, based on the pictures alone. In several places there are signs that it could be printed, but as the bottom looks antique, the printed decoration would have to be applied on-glaze (on top of the glaze), as such printing would only have been possible long after the plate was made.
Having a decoration applied much later on a plain white plate is quite usual, but a printed one...no.
(I cannot find any definitive signs of handpainting, but a few points that could indicate printing.)

I don't want to go guessing on something that would require a hands-on inspection to clarify this point.
What I would suggest is that you show the plate to an antique dealer or auction house experienced in ceramics to clarify whether the decoration is printed or handpainted.
Or, you could ask a porcelain restorer. That might even be better.

If it is handpainted, it should be at least from the Kangxi period. On the other hand, if it is printed, then the porcelain body will be antique but the decoration was added later.

Sorry for being unable to give you a definitive answer, but this is one of the few cases that require handling to make sure.
Jul 26, 2011
 Blue and white bowl
by: peter

Hello,
If you could upload closeup pictures of the decoration, especially the faces, and the foot rim, it might be possible to evaluate age. Alternatively, you could post a link to pictures on the web (Photobucket), etc.

From these small pictures it looks antique. The mark is a Yutang Jiaqi mark, which was in use from the Ming dynasty to the Kangxi reign (Qing dynasty). The tone of the blue also seems right for that period.
The character on the right was made by drilling many little holes into the glaze. It is not a mark, but was used to designate ownership when items were lent out for communal use, etc.

I must say, however, that most items having such markings are of a simpler type, usually. The originalowner must have been well off as the common folks would have been unable to afford such a piece.
This marking also means that the bowl is not an export item, but was in actual use in China.

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