What is a Kangxi mark?
A reign mark records the name of the Chinese dynasty and the reign of the emperor during which the piece was made. It comprises four or six Chinese characters, and is usually found on the base of a work of art commissioned for the Emperor or his imperial household. Six-character Kangxi reign mark in underglaze blue.
What is a xuande mark?
The association of high-quality workmanship and creativity with the Xuande period resulted in the Xuande mark being used ‘honorifically’ on objects made at a later date, indicating that the later made object was inspired by the works of this early Ming period.
How do I know if my Chinese porcelain is valuable?
To evaluate the age of Chinese porcelain, and thus the era it was manufactured within, the following must be assessed – in this order:
- Shape of the item.
- Colour palette.
- Decorative style.
- Base and foot of the item.
- Glazed finish.
- Clay.
- Signs of ageing.
- Any marks on the item.
How do I know if my Chinese vases are valuable?
The best one can do is take into account the overall rarity of the piece, the shape, period and decoration and base your valuation on recent auction records.
How do I know if I have a Ming vase?
Ming Dynasty Markings Vases were marked and these Ming dynasty vase markings – usually on the base of the piece – denoted that it was commissioned for the Emperor or for the Imperial household. The tradition carried on through the Ming and into the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911).
How do you identify a Chinese makers mark?
The traditional six-figure configuration of hallmarks is read top to bottom, right to left. In general, the first two characters are reign marks, the second two are emperor marks and the last two direct placement. In the case of four-character marks, the reign marks are usually the ones omitted.
