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Light blue bowl with incription on the back

by Jon
(Seattle, WA)

Hi Peter,

What is your opinion on this dish/bowl? It has an inscription on the back ... I think it might be Chinese. This was found in England in the 90s. It definitely seems old, but I have heard from others that the Chinese are very, very good at making new pieces appear super old these days.

Thanks in advance.

Also, in case the submitted pictures aren't really clear, here are some bigger photos:

i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae232/meliere/bowl4-1.jpg
i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae232/meliere/bowl3-1.jpg
i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae232/meliere/bowl2-1.jpg
i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae232/meliere/bowl1.jpg

Comments for Light blue bowl with incription on the back

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Aug 01, 2011
 bowl
by: peter

Hi, my apology for the delay. Just found this question has not been answered.

You are quite right. This type of item is always a prime suspect for being a fake. The fakers love to sell dirty items, because that makes them look old, excavated, or simply makes it difficult to recognize an items real age.

My recommendation is to first clean this up. Start with something mild like dishwashing liquid. This won't damage it. Soaking it in an enzymatic cleaner could also help. (That is, if the item is yours.) Just tell me if these methods don't work.

When it is clean enough, then upload an image of the bottom. I will see if it is an epitaph or something else. Epitaphs were frequently inscribed on porcelain items that were interred with the deceased. Sometimes it is something else.

I am not sure if I can tell you from these pictures if it is a genuine antique. The crackles can be created artificially, thus they are not completely reliable for judging an items age. Anyway, a cleaned item may provide better information.

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