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Re: Re: Hand painted china from china

Posted By: Bill H
Posted Date: Feb 19, 2011 (12:40 AM)

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I believe the characters in your mark are meant to resemble 'zhuanshu' seal script. If this is correct, they appear to read down in two stacks from the top right as 'Zhongguo Shan Cai' (China Shantou Colors).

The Guangdong provincial port city of Shantou, heretofore called 'Swatow', is historically linked to Chinese ceramics. The 'Shan' character in your mark is an abbreviation for this place.

The mark of 'Zhongguo Chao Cai', which has been translated elsewhere, as 'China Swatow Enamels' doesn't use the 'Shan' character but 'Chao', an abbreviation for the city of Chaozhou, which borders Shantou to the North.

The seat of Chinese government administrative control of that part of Guangdong flip-flopped between Shantou and Chaozhou after the advent of the People's Republic in 1949, which may account for the difference in these porcelain markings. Your mark has a factory number, which indicates it was made during the 1950's or later, after porcelain and other factories were reorganized and regimented.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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