Chinese Ceramic Marks

In china porcelain marks or pottery marks on antiques had mostly a different purpose and way of expression than those used in the west since at least the 17th or 18th century.

Chinese ceramic marks.

See ming wilson rare marks on chinese ceramics london 1998 cat. When viewing pieces at auction these marks will be listed as apocryphal. As china has a long and illustrious history of ceramic production artisans would include reign marks from earlier periods. Marks found on chinese ceramics are significantly different from those on european antique ceramics.

It lists around 1 800 marks including all the major ming 1368 1644 and qing 1644 1911 dynasty imperial reign marks in addition to the many studio marks hall marks and myriad miscellaneous marks that are also to be found on vessels throughout china s rich cultural heritage. Most porcelain marks on fine antique china such as the meissen marks are underglaze meaning they were applied to the piece prior to firing. The shende tang was completed in 1831 thus making daoguang pieces with this mark attributable to the two decades between 1831 and 1850. For the first hundred years or so of porcelain production there were only two known pigments that could withstand the high firing temperature necessary.

The most comprehensive reference book on chinese reign marks is gerald davison s the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics first published in 1994. 8 where a yellow glazed bowl with cranes bearing this mark is illustrated from the collection of the victoria and albert museum london. Iron red and cobalt blue.