Commenting is deactivated.

Please post all new topics and queries to the Discussion Forum

Comments for Two asian bowls that apear to be old.

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 31, 2011
 I mist your blog peter, sorry I will send you some biger pictures in a minute.
by: stan

I will send some better pictures, now that I figured out how to operate my camera, thanks from Stan.
Feb 09, 2011
 hands on inspection
by: stan day

Hi Peter, do you do hands on inspections your self and what do you charge and are you local, Portland Oregon, Thanks, Stan.

No Stan. I am not local and I don't do any appraisals. I wouldn't want items to be sent here even if I did. Sending something around the globe is always a risk with porcelain. I am currently living in Taiwan, actually.
You could try to get an informal verbal appraisal by a local antique dealer in your area, but it must be one who is specialized on Asian ceramics.

My offer to send pictures to China is still standing, but I need larger images. Those in the blog with the partial pictures will do, but the other ones, showing the whole item seen from above, bottom and side need to be larger.
As the blog may not be allowing sufficiently large pictures, I suggest you either post pictures to Photobucket or a similar site and then send me the link for downloading. Image width should be at least 800 pixel and resolution good enough to see crackles, blemishes or cracks, etc. clearly. You can also send the images to oceanique_at_bigfoot.com.
Feb 07, 2011
 another photo.
by: stan

Hi Peter, I washed the bowls with soap and water and some of the rust did come off, and the bottom of the bowls has a dark purple-brownish color and some did wash off, I have never washed them before, the cleaning did brighten them up a little, I don't think these bowls have been washed in a long time. I hope the photos that I sent will be good enough, I tried my best with the camera I have, and please do send the photos for verification, thank you and for your expertise, I am exited that these could be Ming Dynasty. From Stan.
Feb 06, 2011
 my comment
by: peter

Stan, I hope you don't misunderstand my post. I do not think that your items are fake, but I just cannot be sure if the age signs are genuine.
The pictures look good to me, but with some items it is just difficult to be sure without seeing them in person. For example, shipwreck items often have a glaze degradation which looks similar to glazes that were immersed in acids. A photograph may not show the difference.
As I said, if they are real Ming items, then you have got something many collectors would like to own.
Did you look at the items at earlyming.com? Much to learn there. This collector is specialized on Ming porcelain, although he also has many good Qing items.

Peter
Feb 06, 2011
 shallow bowls
by: peter

Hello Stan,

Either you have made a very good find or they are fake. They are Chinese, no problem. The decoration and tone of blue would both hint to the Ming dynasty.
If the estate sale was from a renowned collector of Chinese ceramics, however, there is a good chance that the items have been inspected at some earlier time already.

Yes, the question is here whether the age signs are genuine or fake. There ARE genuine dark bottoms like this, but I could not decide from the pictures if this is a fake bottom or not. This is one of the cases when a hands-on inspection would be more appropriate.
I see that in the second picture there is a light area while the rest seems to be of a brownish color. Is the brown color dirty crackles or is the whole surface covered with some brown substance? Is there any crackling in the white area? Does it seem white because it was cleaned? If yes, can you try to clean more of it?
You can use dishwashing liquid or mild soap water and try brushing with a tootbrush or other soft brush. It shouldn't damage the decoration because, if genuine, it would have been fired at over 1100 degrees. You could also see if the brown color on the bottom comes off. In a fake the brown bottom could be easily washed off, if the substance was applied after firing. With genuinely old items the color may not be removed that easy.

If I would have found such items somewhere I would also have purchased them, honestly, taking the risk as you did.
If you want me to I can show the pictures to a forum in China, to see what they think. But, I would need larger images (800 pixel wide). They have an advantage over all people outside China. They see much more fakes than we do. While the result is not always conclusive, it is one of several steps I sometimes take with my own items in case of doubt, when I can't make up my mind.

But, in the end a hands-on check is the thing to go with this.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Two asian bowls that apear to be old..

Return to Ask a question or contribute - archived 2011.