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Q'ing Period Chinese Vase or in style of?

by Marsuel
(Minneapolis, MN USA)

Side 1 of Vase

Side 1 of Vase

I purchased this Chinese vase at an estate sale about 10 years ago and would appreciate any thoughts on what I might have from those of you with experience in Chinese porcelain. From comparing the mark on the bottom to marks I found on-line, it looks hand written (at least to my very inexperienced eye) and like it could be a Q'ing dynasty mark (assuming it is real). The vase is about 13" tall. I've attached four pictures, one of each side of the vase (since the design is slightly different on each side), a shot down into the vase from the top, and a photo of the mark on the base. Thanks for your time. I appreciate this website. I've learned a lot by just looking at past postings.

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Sep 16, 2011
 Thanks
by: Marsuel

Peter,

Thanks for your comment and kind inquiry about my progress.

Sorry to repeat the reference. I didn't see my first posting for the gotheborg site so I thought I had done it wrong or that I should have added it as a comment to this page rather than put it in as a new comment.

Unless I am mistaken (which I freely admit happens much more often than I like to admit) the gotheborg website includes older marks as well. That is how I had first identified my vase mark as a possibly Qing, Kangxi period (assuming it was authentic which apparently it is not). In addition to the general introductory page on marks, there are separate pages for different period marks including one for Ming, one for Qing, one for later period marks, and one for Japanese marks.

I haven't found out anything further on my vase. Not found anything on the internet that looks like it as yet (though I've not searched extensively). I've gotten some books out of the library but so far nothting like it in there either. I am also trying to find out if I can get someone to look at it in person. I've by no means given up and in the meantime I enjoy looking at it!
Sep 15, 2011
 List of Books on Asian Ceramics
by: Marsuel

Hi, again!

I found this list of English language books on Asian porcelain useful and it may be useful to others as well. www.gotheborg.com/bestbooks/

The website has other useful information, including a section on identifying marks/characters.


Hi Marsuel,
You posted the gotheborg link already. The site has indeed a lot of information, but please note that the marks section is specialized on 20th century marks, not antique marks.

Have you found any further information regarding your vase?

Peter
Sep 06, 2011
 books on chinese ceramics
by: Anonymous

Marsuel, I have a number of books, but they are all in Chinese (I read Chinese). So, I am in no position to recommend any English or other language books.
The only two in English I have are good reference books if you are serious with collecting Chinese porcelain. One is the one sold directly via mingwrecks.com. The other is a book about Straits Chinese porcelain.

I would be interested to know of any introductory material in English. I don't know of any, and that is one of the reasons for this website.
Sep 06, 2011
 Thanks for clarification
by: Marsuel

Peter,
Thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure yet what my next move is but this has been a very helpful starting point. I haven't found anything on line like my vase, but I can't say that I've looked extensively as yet. I've also just gotten a couple of books out of the library so maybe that will help too. Thanks so much for your time and expertise. By the way, I couldn't find a list of recommended books on Chinese porcelain on this website but do you have any that you recommend in particular?
Sep 05, 2011
 vase
by: peter

Hi again.
What I meant, actually, is that I cannot tell you more based on these pictures. At least a couple of closeups from different places of the decoration, an image showing the inside of the neck, and an enlarged view of the foot rim would be necessary to check the details and see if any age signs are present. But that does not mean that I necessarily can positively identify the period, in this case.

If your vase falls in the republican period, it could have value, but if it is a second half of the 20th century copy, its collecting value is lower.
The reason that I think it could be republican period is the mark, beceause that would have been hardly used later than that, except with fakes.

Unfortunately, the image size of this blog does not allow posting larger, high-resolution pictures.
I would not go to the expense of hiring an appraiser at this time. Try to find something similar on the web first. Or, if you have an opportunity to show this to an experienced collector, or to a dealer at an antiques show, for example, then do so. They might help verifying what you have in an informal way with extra expenses.
In many cases it is possible to identify items online, but there are some exceptions where it is better to do a hands-on inspection.
Sep 05, 2011
 Thanks!
by: Marsuel

Thank you very much. I wondered about the red color as I had red on line that blue was more likely during that period. This made me wonder if it was newer, and the fact that the "ears" were also not common in the early period seems to add evidence. Never-the-less, it sounds like you think having an expert appraise it might be worthwhile (for insurance value). Is that what you would recommend?
Sep 04, 2011
 vase
by: peter

Hello,
You have a magnificent vase.
I cannot tell you from when this exactly is, I'm afraid, as I have never seen this type of decoration. But judging from the bottom it would likely be from the 20th century.

The handwritten mark is a Qing dynasty Kangxi reign mark, however marks weren't usually written in that manner then, and hardly in red. The foot rim and bottom do also look "younger". The two contraptions at the side of the neck are called "ears" in Chinese, but some people call them "handles" which they are not. This type of attached ears became popular during the late Qing dynasty and were used until the republican period. They are also made with some new items, today.
To tell about it more a hands-on inspection would be appropriate, I think.

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