Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board

Hello,

I recently won a number of items at auction, and these were amongst the Lot. I would be very grateful for any assistance in identifying if they are of Asian origin and anything else about them. I have never seen a pattern and style quite like it.

They look Chinese in style. The brown detailing has been hand painted over (in blues, reds, pink & browns) quite crudely and a brown wash of colour applied inside the cups and saucers over the flower edges. The pattern covers the entire inside of the saucer.There are a number of firing errors and bits of possible grit stuck to the glaze etc. The saucers are very deep and almost bowl like. The only mark is a mark in brown/puce underneath - like a simple dot of colour. They have a lovely ring to them.

Saucer is 5.25" diameter
Cup 3" Diameter (not inc handle) approx. 2.75" in height.

They might be nothing of value - no idea, but I would love to know a bit more about them if possible.

Thank you

I tend to agree with you as to your tea-wares being Chinese, primarily based on the shape, as I've never seen this particular pattern either. I have other examples (shown below) of "China"-marked and faux Qianlong Jingdezhen porcelains having similar cups with the same Limoges style handles that were made circa the 1920s-early 30s for export. I wonder if those in your pattern might have been produced around the same time to compete with Japanese "luster" ("lustre") wares. However, I can't really say whether I'm seeing that sort of sheen or just a reflection on some of your pieces. The defects you're seeing indicate to me this is transfer-decorated ware of the sort seen from Macao and Liling (in Hunan) since the 1940s and later, as well as several places on the Mainland that have appeared since the 1950s or subsequently.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Hello Bill,

That's really interesting information, particularly the handles.

I would say it looks transfer printed, but the colours are raised, like hand-painted additions, you can actually see the brush marks in places. The cup itself reflects, whereas the coloured areas look more glazed, if that makes sense?

I have actually a matching plate! I have attached some photos of that for you now. You will note that the brown around the edges is much stronger in colour and very obviously hand done. Clearly the plate has had a lot less use than the cups and saucers. Its more the original brown it would have been I think. Really unusual

I would say the ware is Staffordshire but some folks think the pieces are Dutch, made by Regout.
If you do a search in Google Images using the terms

"brown choinoiserie lusterware"

you'll see some other momochrome decorated items, possibly slightly later than your polychrome pieces.

Hello - your cups and saucers are mid 19thc English bone china Chinoiserie transferwares.

Hello Larry,

Many thanks for your reply. That's really interesting information.

Would you have any idea as to makers? Have you seen this use of roughly added brown detailing before anywhere?

I think Larry is correct, though you might also want to Google up some of Meissen's chinoiserie. Here's a link to one of their chocolate sets that exhibits a similar cup handle. However, other Meissen patterns appear to be much closer to yours.

Best regards to all,

Bill H.


URL Title :Meissen chocolate set

Asian Arts | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries | Message Board