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novice collector...I recently bought this wine cup ... just wonder if it is a real kangxi period piece?

Any input is appreciated.

Thank

The lighter color glaze is 'café au lait', which was used during the Kangxi period, but I don't recall seeing any period examples of cups with the darker glaze spilling down flambé style. I also infer from what apparently is its artificially dirtied foot that this is a more recent product, perhaps late 19th or 20th century.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thank for the reply Bill. I don't come across this color glaze (actually more of a orange tone) in kangxi wine cup in any reference as well. The galze is beautiful though.

"Café au lait" is a variant of the same glaze that's used on Batavia wares, the former's lighter color being achieved by reducing the amount of iron in the formula and by the color of pre-fired underglazes. The orange tone on your cups possibly was achieved by manipulating the amount of iron or adding other ingredients such as copper to the formula. Both elements already were standard ingredients in Chinese porcelain glazes by the Ming Dynasty, I believe. Here's a sampler of Ming and Qing wares with iron-based glazes in various brown tones.

http://www.chineseceramicslondon.com/print.asp?stock=23310

http://www.teadust.com/gallery/mo/mo_wa_629.htm

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a-famille-verte-cafe-au-lait-kangxi-4801301-details.aspx?intObjectID=4801301

http://www.trocadero.com/stores/chilong/items/769016/item769016.html

http://www.cleij-art.com/items/6KC207.htm

Best regards,

Bill H.

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