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Dear all

I have bought a number of bowls, clay vases and other ephemera from a friend who goes diving in the Tha Chin River Basin in Suphan Buri, Thailand.

They are remarkable and of interest.

Would anyone be able to give any knowledge as to their origin and age?

Yours sincerely

Richard

Apparently Chinese, this one has a mark read from the top right and across as "From the Collection of the Seemingly Old - 若深珍蔵 - Ruo Shen Zhen Cang). Since it is transfer-decorated, it seemingly is no older than the early 20th century.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Thank you, Bill.

How to tell from sight and touch whether a ceramic is transfer decorated? What was the earlier way of doing it?

I am still learning, please teach me.

Transfer decoration generally involves mechanically produced patterns which often are identifiable by their lack of brushed-on textures and other qualities of handpainting. In this case, a mechanically produced stencil appears to have been used to create the pattern. As is the case with paper or plastic stencils used in sign-making and other lettering sets, there are breaks in the pattern on this dish caused by joints that hold the stencil together. Stencils may be used to apply blue & white patterns like this one directly to ceramics before glazing and firing, or the stencils can be used to create paper transfers that are stuck to the ceramics and then burned off, leaving behind a cobalt pattern for glazing and firing. At least that is how I recollect it works from what I was told ages ago. Nowadays, rubber stamps are used in some ornamentation factories to decorate Chinese porcelains.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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