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Tongzhi reproduction?

by Melissa
(Greensboro, NC )

Can anyone help me identify the markings on this jar? I think the red stamp is Tongzhi? What does the black triangle with the 72 in it mean? Does it have any value? Thanks in advance!

Melissa

Comments for Tongzhi reproduction?

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Jan 15, 2012
 Thank you!
by: Melissa

Thank you for being so thorough in your explanation. It really helps a newbie like me understand. I paid less than what a decorative jar this size would cost retail so I'm not worried about being out. I bought it to resale and being a decorative piece, I'm sure it will all turn out well in the end. If not, I'll put it in the corner and fill it full of cat food! haha Thanks again!

Melissa
Jan 15, 2012
 jar
by: peter

Hi Melissa,
First of all, the mark is the least important when checking for the age or authenticity of Chinese porcelain. Marks of earlier times always have been used since at least the 16th century.

In your case the colors and decoration point to a later time. The mark itself uses a character style that would be unusual to say the least, for the Tongzhi period.
Further, on Chinese antiques the mark is never off-center that much.

The conclusion can only be that this is for decoration only. The item is newer, but that does not mean it is necessarily a fake. It is just... newer!
The triangle seems to be something associated with production, but I don't know for sure what it is. It appears only on later items that were likely factory produced. Thus, personally I believe it has to with more recent production. No Chinese antiques have such markings.
I don't really know if 72 might mean the year. Could be, but it could also be a batch number. It could even be a number designating a specific factory. As far as I understand some porcelain factories had numbers in the early times of communist China. That means, your jar can at the most be vintage.
Jan 15, 2012
 Thanks!
by: Melissa

Thanks so much for your time. By apocryphal you mean fake and it was made 1950 or later? I wonder if the 72 would mean made in 1972. I did a lot of looking before I posted and I didn't see the triangle mark anywhere either. I didn't give much for it so I'm not worried about being out a lot of money.

What is it about the mark that shows you it's fake?
Jan 15, 2012
 jar
by: peter

This is 20th century, probably later half. The mark is apocryphal and the triangle seems to appear only on more recent porcelain. Not really a mark, I think.

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