Identifying Chinese Ceramics

Made in china under zhongguo zhi zao meaning the.

Identifying chinese ceramics.

When visually identifying chinese porcelain the shape is the first thing meeting the eye. In the smudged area between ma de in china and the seal mark there seems to be the beginning of zhongguo. This resulted in many porcelain marks simply comprising empty underglaze blue double circles or the use of auspicious symbols in underglaze blue such as an artemesia leaf a lingzhi mushroom or the head of a ruyi sceptre. How to identify fake chinese ceramics.

A ming dynasty blue and white porcelain dish with a dragon. A short glance over a vase or jar for example often allows an expert of chinese ceramics to assert or discard the possibility of a chinese object being antique. Chinese ceramic ware is an art form that has been developing since the neolithic period. But like any prominent collecting field it is also awash with fakes from sellers trying to make a quick and dishonest profit.

The history of chinese ceramics began some eight thousand years ago with the crafting of hand molded earthenware. The market for chinese ceramics is thriving and incredibly tempting to join. The focus of the chalre collection is chinese and asian tradeware ceramics in other words ceramics that were traded throughout asia. I can not tell you how to identify chinese porcelain pieces with a 100 accuracy via this article but i can show you certain traits symbolism commonly used on chinese porcelain that will hopefully help you identify or understand the meaning of symbols used in chinese porcelain production.

There are two primary categories of chinese ceramics low temperature fired pottery or táo 陶 about 950 1200 and high temperature fired porcelain or cí 瓷 about 1250 1400. Porcelain was a chinese invention and is so identified with china that it is still called china in everyday english usage. Our purpose is to enhance these organizations by identifying attracting and developing outstanding people. Examples of chinese vases sold at auction below.

Click here to see large picture. There was a brief time during the kangxi period in 1667 when the emperor issued an edict forbidding the use of his reign mark on porcelain in case the ceramics were smashed and discarded. Those ebay offers may be tempting but it takes time to identify fake chinese ceramics. Jingdezhen china which would indicate a date from the 1950s until present.

Our purpose is to enhance these organizations by identifying attracting and developing outstanding people.