Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries

This has no markings lot a bunch of the other vases and porcelain so I am not sure if I will be able to get much help on it but any info would be appreciated.

Poorly transfer-printed design, 20th century but possibly before 1940.

Good luck,
Cal

Appears to be Japanese transfer ware, circa first quarter of the 20th century (late Meiji-Taisho period).

Best regards,

Bill H.

Yes I figured that it was to sloppy looking to be anything good. I have a few boxes of these unmarked bowls and plates and most look sloppy like this one so those are probally not to good. Is there an easy way to tell what is pressed and replicated and what is real?

Bill H, I think this is more likely stencilled than transfer ware. look at the breaks in the lines.

Hi to all, jut to let you know the bowl is decorated by the method of surie-inbande, using hand cut paper patterns. I do accutually like them myself. It gives you a warm impression. I guess it's a matter of taste. Emiko

Hi Emiko,

It's always comforting to have your input. I think surie-inbande is the same process that Staffordshire kilns use to make Willow and other 'flow blue' patterns, which is what I meant by transfer ware.

It may be that Mike and I are both on the right track, because I believe some patterns may be stenciled first onto tissue because it is easier for the dish decorators to handle. However, I'm aware that some Hong Kong and Macau factories use rubber stamps to apply pattern outlines directly to the ceramic blanks for overpainting and refiring.

In any event, here's my current favorite example of the technique on a 7.75 inch bowl, Japanese I take it but in the Chinese style with five bats (wufu) for the five blessings inside, and the three friends of winter, among other icons, on the outside. The mark looks like a character that means 'signboard' (biao) in Chinese, but I could be wrong.

Cheers,

Bill H.

Hi Bill, my pleasure to be a part of Asian forum any time I can join in. Transfer method such as European transferware is a bit different than Japanese surie. Surie uses a hand cut paper which applies on the vessel and the pattern is brushed in through the cut holes and lines. This method was only used about 1880 - 1910 in Japan. The finished product appears very much primitive comparing to the transferware, but maybe by this same reason, collectors in Japan love them. Emiko

Sorry I was away for the last few days but thanks again for the help. It is VERY helpful in making a novice like me understand the process and get a grip on this collection. I noticed Emiko stating that in Japan collectors like them but from what I gather they are just replicas made using a different technique in the late 1800s to early 1900s made to look old. There is just so much to learn when it comes to this Asian genre of antiques I am having a love hate relationship with it :):):) Thanks again I will post a few more to see what you guys think and so I can get a better understanding on some of this collection...

'Replica' is one of those words that should be used sparingly when talking about Japanese and Chinese ceramics. 'Design Continuation' is the operative term in cases where no fraud is intended.

The process of perpetuating certain forms and decorative designs rests in the iconographic nature of the repeated elements; it is driven by the symbolism of lotuses, cranes, peonies, immortals and hundreds of other images that add a peculiarly Chinese, Japanese, religious or other auspicious flavor to the pattern.

The way such images are presented is canonized within the national psyche in these countries, particularly in the case of Buddhas, immortals or lucky gods, whose physical and other attributes are chiseled in stone just as firmly as those of John Bull in England, Uncle Sam in the USA and other such national icons everywhere.

In China and Japan these icons have gained their substance over many centuries. However, subtle stylistic shifts have occurred with changes of dynasties and reigns, and under foreign influences, the latter exemplified by the absorption of European styles and industrial techniques and materials brought by Jesuit missionaries at the courts of early Qing emperors.

In the case of surie inbande, Dutch traders in Japan handed over essential technology for making transfer-decorated ceramics not long after the process was developed in England during the late 1700's. The Japanese found it advantageous to adopt the process right away, because its less labor-intensive nature was better-suited to their smaller labor pool. While the Chinese persisted in hand-decorating ceramics until the early 20th century, the Japanese were turning transfer-decoration of these wares into an indigenous art form.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Very helpful information is an understatement so I thank you for taking the time to help me understand the history. I did not mean to use the word replica in that regard and I do have a better understanding of what I have thanks to you and this forum. I am each day coming to realize the appraisal service we invested money into was way off on many items and it is very frustrating. Another example of this is I was told a ceramic bowl I have is a from there report "A Large Pinto Redware Painted Olla (ceramic cooking vessel),Salado, Arizona.This is very nice example of an early native american pottery. One can never to sure or the origins of this type of pottery but the Pinto Redwares seems to be most similar, in that the shape is typical and the geometric decoration is also known. Similar geometric decoration was later found in Hopi and other native american tribes wares which only serves to suggest that such decorative patterns and schemes moved from one tribe to another.Date:
14th/15th century." They said auction value was $2,000 BUT the auction house I sent it to said it only has decorative value and is South Americn and 20th century. It just goes on and on so it does get frustrating because of the time and money wasted and feeling that I still am not confident with what I actually have. It just takes time and patience but thanks to this forum I am getting there with at least the items I have posted here..I would post a picture of the pottery but I know it has nothing to do with Asian art but I was just using it as an example of a response I recieved today. WIth the ASian artifacts it is even more confusing in some regards. I am just trying to see what is worth keeping for home decor and what is worth selling to help pay for a wedding but I am not really sure if anything is what it really is if that makes sense.

Thanks again,
John A

Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |