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Subject:Help identify and verify authenticity- pair of cobalt vases
Posted By: Mark Sat, Jan 14, 2017 IP: 73.189.187.153

I was handed down 2 vases and after years of being boxed up I decided to take a closer look to see if they are worth much. They were given to me by mom and they came from her parent who owned Chinese art store in San Francisco Chinatown in the 50s-60s. Can someone with knowledge tell me if they might be autentic and if they have significant value?
From Google I am guessing they might be from Daoguang period based on their marks. Also, unfortunately someone had written in felt marker on the bottom with prices.

Thanks for any info and help,
Mark







Subject:Re: Help identify and verify authenticity- pair of cobalt vases
Posted By: Bill H Sun, Jan 15, 2017

This form of vase was produced in blue & white motifs during the Qianlong era, though the brushwork obviously was superior on the palace ware shown in my copy of the survey of Qing ceramics by Professor Liu Liang-yu. Nevertheless, the foot rim of the vase shown here appears either to indicate the vase is made of inferior clay or that the biscuit has been artificially dirtied to simulate age.

Incised "CHINA" marks, such as seen below your Qianlong reign mark, are sometimes said to have been used to facilitate the export of Chinese porcelains made before the 1890 McKinley Tariff Act required point-of-origin marks on imports into the USA. However, such incised "CHINA" marks do no guarantee that the pieces are mark and of the period, as Tony Allen has pointed out in his latest book on the detection of fake antique Chinese porcelain wares.

All things considered, I believe your vases probably are no older than China's mid-Republic period (1912-1949) and possibly are post-1950.

Best regards,

Bill H.


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