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

Would appreciate any help in translating our character mark on the bottom of a small brushpot. Many thanks.

According to entry No. 1240 in the latest edition of "Marks on Chinese Ceramics" by Gerald Davison, this marking was used during the Xuantong (a.k.a. Puyi) period from 1909-11 and reads down and across from its top right as "Yi chun tang zhi" (宜春堂製), meaning made for the "Hall of ever-present spring". The"Yichun" characters also are seen on a felicitous sign that Chinese paste up when spring begins (varying from 5-18 February) and which carries the idiomatic meaning of "May it always be spring with you".

Valid porcelain markings of the Xuantong reign are rather rare, so you might wish to begin the authentication process by posting some photos here of the remainder of your brushpot for opinions.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Many thanks for your help. The mark is on the bottom of a pair of brush pots featuring wild geese. The paininting is really first rate. Thanks again.

Would appreciate any information on a pair of mirror-image brushpots with Xuanlong red marks on bottom. Please forgive the poor photographs but my 90-year-old eyes continue to let me down.

All I have on the shelf that might be germane is this "Restoration Kiangsi" plate with decoration of geese. I believe the piece piece is a "Restoration Jiangxi" sample plate made circa 1930 at Jingdezhen. The former Xuantong Emperor, Puyi, accepted a Japanese offer and became the head of the puppet Manchukuo state in Northeastern China in 1932, using a reign title of "Datong". In any event, I doubt the Republic of China whould have been granting him any honors around that time.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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