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Greetings,
I would greatly appreciate any assistance in identifying the mark on this nice little bowl. I would also appreciate any thoughts you have on the dish. Thank you!

Pictures are not very clear esp. the lower part of the mark (right on the picture on the site) but it could be "Tongzhi nian zhi" and probably of the period.

Regards,

Arjan

Thank you so much! I just posted a better pic.

The last character probably still needs a fortune-teller to consult the tarot deck for us, but there do seem to be a few strokes in favor of "zhi" in what I can see in your glare-free photo. Looks like you could have a mark & period piece after all.

Bill H.

As best I can discern through the glare from the flash, the seal script mark reads "Made during the Tongzhi Reign" (Tong Zhi nian zao - 同治年造), which was from 1862-1874. However, if I've read it correctly, the use of "zao" instead of "zhi" (製) for "made" suggests the bowl is not of the Tongzhi period. Of course, while "zhi" is the only one used in any of the Tongzhi period marks shown in my references, there always seems to be an exception to any of the supposed rules when it comes to Chinese porcelain. It may be worth noting, though, the "traffic light" border is much more common during the Guangxu reign and later.

Perhaps others will have a different take on the character in play here.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Here's a clearer pic of the mark.
thank you for your help on this!
cheers!

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