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Hello to all,
Please need assistance to determine possible age of this iron red on glaze seal mark.
all opinions welcome.

i'd suggest July 14, 1997, after lunch

That narrows it down a bit, thanks. Since July 14 is Bastille Day, France would have been closed, so this scrawly mark couldn't possibly have been on a piece of Bayeux chinoiserie.
Bill H.

thanks for the professional info.
you both have performed admirably on this forum
thank God there are not too many like you around.

Hi Andrew, I can understand your disappointment with the replies from Rat and Bill H but I'd suggest you don not give up on this forum as a valuable source of information. Try and see it from their perspective. I have posted requests several times on this forum in the past and had varied responses but mostly positive and all in all gained valuable information about the pieces I have posted. When I look back on my first few posts I am somewhat embarrassed at how little I knew and the limited information I was offering in return for such concise and detailed replies. The guys who are brave enough to venture their opinions based on what is usually very limited information and photographic evidence which at its best is not ideal to base an evaluation, are to be commended. Many of the inquiries on this forum are from people looking for a "quick fix" while the info they want is readily available elsewhere online. I am a novice when it comes to oriental antiquities but even I could tell you this seal mark looks like it was created by someone who had too much to drink and if produced in the era it purports to be from, the creator would have probably been executed. For a start from what I know all genuine seal marks from this period are within a double frame. So my advice is keep learning and keep trying and eventually these guys will respond with useful information, they do know their stuff.

PS: though their sarcasm stings I guess it's better than no response at all.

Rgds Gerry

What's with the attitude?
I'd say you got back the same as you gave.

Like a radio announcer saying "how many fingers am I holding up?", you posted the same photo in three separate threads without providing any photos of the piece the mark came from, yet you expect people to be able to tell you something specific based on that poorly rendered mark.

Unlike yourself, I think that the hundreds of people who have taken the time to provide these forum members with enough information to make an educated guess would all say they were appreciative of the comments they received from these two individuals.

By the way, I'm thinking of a number between one and one hundred........ you want to try to make an educated guess?

Cheers
Gman

People who ask for free information can't be choosy. Try paying me and you might get a more considered answer. Put up a lousy screen shot of a piece of junk and expect to get the equivalent in return. it goes both ways pal. "all opinions welcome"

I'll second your message strongly, Rat! Anyone who tosses out a screen-print image of a mark and wants a date for it is exhibiting one of the bad habits that considerate members of this forum do their best to help novice participants break. The mark is the last thing anyone ought to look at in trying to date a piece of Chinese porcelain.

From another standpoint, I'm in this forum to learn from the experience myself, so anyone who's so lazy they can only show the mark on their object is denying me the quid I seek for my pro quo.

Finally, whenever two identical queries pop up at the same time, my antenna starts sensing that somebody thinks the forum is supposed to be their personal eBay bidding guide. Naah, not if I can help it!

Bill H.

Hi Rat,

That's kinda what I was trying to say but you were, how would I say, a little bit more to the point. I suppose the main point I'd like to get across is that many first time posters are not aware what basic minimum detail is required for someone like you to even consider venturing an opinion. For instance with ceramics and porcelain, one needs to post clear closeup images of the piece from all angles including closeups of any seal and also of the base and on this one many don't understand the importance of being able to see the base. Also a description of the condition and the dimensions also helps. These criteria are essential to making a basic evaluation and probably applies to most artifacts posted on this forum. Would it be a thought to have a guideline put together for first time posters which they can refer to before frustrating the people who bother to review and offer their knowledge to others.

PS: I have noticed this poster has listed this same seal mark on a couple of occasions under different identities, for what reason I'm unsure.

Anyway, I hope everyone has an enjoyable and rewarding day.

Gerry

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