The Chinese and Asian Art Forum. For Fans, Collectors and Dealers.
Basic Rules For the BidAmount Asian Art Forum: Talk about whatever you want. You can even discuss and offer things that are for sale if they are authentic. Maximum image file size per post is 2 MB. Images of 700pxl x 700pxl are optimal if saved at a medium resolution. Be respectful of others and enjoy yourself. Click the YouTube link for a brief tutorial on using the forum. You can also EMBED Videos by cutting and pasting from You-Tube, Vimeo etc.
NOTE: To post an item or add a new post, click open the category title from the FORUM LIST, and CLICK the Blue ADD TOPIC button.
I picked up this 9 1/2” tall famille verte vase today! My photos are not great, but the vase has all the features of genuine Kangxi, so I feel comfortable with the Kangxi period.
So, my question is regarding the use of apocryphal marks in the Kangxi period…
Is the quality of Kangxi wares with apocryphal marks on par with mark and period wares from other Qing periods? We know the reason for the apocryphal marks in the Kangxi was by imperial decree, not because of quality, which is different in other Qing periods.
Or, should all Kangxi period pieces with apocryphal marks be judged simply as any other non-mark & period piece?
There are many examples of Kangxi period pieces with apocryphal marks in the major auction houses that seem to show very strong sales results, but the examples they accepted into auction were exceptional in quality among a much wider group of lesser quality pieces.
Thoughts?
My opinion on Kangxi apocryphal marks is that they were placed on current wares of decent quality in homage to previous times of ceramic excellence. I don’t think they would show up on Imperial wares. I think the 19th practice of placing 18th century reign marks was similar until they started using them to fool foreigners.
By the way, nice vase!
Apocryphal marks mostly show up in the Kangxi era but can also sometimes be found in other 18th century reigns. For example, this Yongzheng meiping has a Ming mark.
Tim, are the faces on your vase outlined in black? I can't quite see.
Regarding reign marks, I was looking for the theme on your vase and found this - taken from A Culture Revealed (Stamen, Volk, Ni):
@julia Thank you! That's very interesting...I never knew that, but that does confirm what I had suspected, which is that while not a Kangxi mark, the quality of this Kangxi vase is certainly good enough to be, but due to the edict, they put a Chenghua mark.
@william That's a very interesting vase! When we were discussing my big green bowl with the blue & white lotus bouquet design on the inside, I think we stuck our toe into the discussion on the use of apocraphyl marks during the 18th c. Certainly far less common then in the Kangxi period.
So, do you consider your crane meiping vase on the same level of quality as other Yongzheng mark and period pieces of the same style? How did Marchant assess its quality (if at all)?
Hi Tim, Julia and William and all -
Jiajing and Chenghua six/four character reign marks are very commonly seen on Kangxi period wares ...
Wanli and Xuande marks are also know although these are less oftern seen. The Xuande mark is usually, although no always, found on the higher quality pieces ...
William is quite correct, apocryphal Ming marks continued to be used into the 18th century. I have seen Xuande, Hongzhi, Zhengde and Jiajing marks, both incised and underglaze blue, on high quality Kangxi wares, and Xuande and Jiajing marks on Yongzheng pieces ...
Stuart
Tim,
I have some interesting research regarding this vase. First, there is specific meaning to the encircling decoration of two peach clusters (longevity) and two cranes (harmonious marriage).
I do think this was part of a run of this type of decoration that was comprised of both Imperial production and commercial production. Notice the small bump on my example which to my mind indicates a slightly lower level of quality control. The attached link to a 2011 Bonhams auction shows a similar meiping of this style from the similar Imperial production run. The Yonzheng emperor was extraordinary strict with non-imperial use of his reign mark.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18981/lot/53/
As for Marchant’s opinion of the meiping, his mark & period Imperial pieces back in the 1990’s ranged into the high multiples of thousands of pounds. I know my budget at that time when shopping in London for 18th Chinese porcelain was less than £2000 so his opinion was reflected in the price point. This was of course before the entry of the mainland Chinese into the antique porcelain market.
@william Picky picky emperor! The vase is really delicate in form and decor. Prior to your post, I’ve never seen this type of diluted design under white glaze.
It reminds me of how the faint silhouette of mountains sometimes pierce through dense fog… fleeting and rather mystical.
I’ve seen anhua pieces with hidden designs, but not this.
I think the subtle beauty of your vase is quite unlike the popular Qing ‘over the top’ style. I imagine in the 90’s you had a lot of choices for the money… why this piece?
Do I remember correctly… you’ve been collecting 40 years? Would you share what was your inspiration to start?
Latest Post: Chinese lacquer double gourd Our newest member: Amanda Parsons Recent Posts Unread Posts
Thanks for visiting "The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art"
If you sell on eBay, or have a shop feel free to post images and descriptions and links.
Check back often for discussion about the latest news in the Chinese art and antique world. Also find out about the latest Asian art auctions at Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams and Tajans.
Auction results for: fine porcelain, ceramics, bronze, jade, textiles and scholar's objects. As well as Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian cultures.
Thank you,
Peter Combs
Topics and categories on The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art
Kangxi vases, Kangxi dishes and chargers, Kangxi ritual pieces, Kangxi scholar's objects, Qianlong famille rose, Qianlong enamels, Qianlong period paintings, Qianlong Emporer's court, Fine porcelain of the Yongzheng period. Chinese imperial art, Ming porcelain including Jiajing, Wanli, Xuande, Chenghua as well as Ming jades and bronzes.
Join the BidAmount Chinese and Asian art discussion board and forum today
The BidAmount Asian Art Forum | Chinese Art
A free Asian art discussion board and Asian art message board for dealers and collectors of art and antiques from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Linked to all of the BidAmount Asian art reference areas, with videos from plcombs Asian Art and Bidamount on YouTube. Sign up also for the weekly BidAmount newsletter and catalogs of active eBay listing of Chinese porcelain, bronze, jades, robes, and paintings.
The art of calligraphy - and for the ancient Chinese it certainly was an art - aimed to demonstrate superior control and skill using brush and ink. Calligraphy established itself as one of the major Chinese art forms during the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE), and for two millennia after, all educated men were expected to be proficient at it.
The Museum’s collections of Asian art span nearly five millennia and encompass the cultures of China, the Himalayas, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. In 2007, the Museum launched an initiative to create dedicated galleries for the collection, beginning with a gallery for the arts of Korea ...
Chinese art is full of symbolism, in that artists typically seek to depict some aspect of a totality of which they are intuitively aware.
China Online Museum is the finest online museum of Chinese art. It features Chinese calligraphy, painting, ceramics, bronzes, carving, and other artworks.
Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. Overview Upcoming auctions Contacts Auction results ... Christie’s sales of Chinese ceramics and works of art showcase centuries of Chinese history. Held throughout the year in London, New York, Paris and Hong Kong, they attract a wide audience of collectors and connoisseurs vying for pieces as diverse as ...
Explore Asian Art Week. Contact the Specialist Department. Chinese Paintings ... Senior Specialist, Head of Sale. [email protected]. Tel:+1 212 641 5760. Bid in-person or online for the upcoming auction:Fine Chinese Paintings on 10 September 2019 at New York. Bid in-person or online for the upcoming auction:Fine Chinese Paintings on 10 ...
Discover an abundance of must-see art from all corners of a vast continent at Christie’s NY Asian Art Week. From contemporary classical and Chinese paintings to works with exemplary provenance from the Art Institute of Chicago, our Rockefeller Paza galleries will be full of ancient treasures and contemporary masterworks in a salute to the vibrant arts of Asia.
Sold to benefit The Art Institute of Chicago’s Asian Art Acquisition Fund, the sale features 84 lots with a focus on Ming and Qing porcelains, and offers a rare insight into the taste for collecting Chinese ceramics and works of art in the Midwest from the end of the 19th century through the 1980s. Highlights include two Wanli wucai garlic-head vases, a Qianlong mark and period, blue and ...
Specialist, Chinese Paintings, Christie's London Dr Malcolm McNeill is a Specialist in Chinese Paintings at Christie’s, based in London. He previously worked as an assistant curator of the Chinese collections and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, as a researcher at the British Museum, and as a translator and tour guide at the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
The Christie's Education 2020 Conference: The Chinese Art Market 18 Jun 2019 Christie’s Education is delighted to announce our first international academic conference in Asia which will take place in Hong Kong from 26-27 November 2020 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will run in parallel with Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auctions.
The summer Chinese Art sale in Hong Kong will feature works of art from several private collections, including Qing porcelains and textile from the collection of the legendary Chinese art dealer A. W. Bahr (1877–1959), fine gilt bronze Buddhist sculptures from an old Hong Kong collection, an East Asian collection of Qing dynasty wine cups and jades, and a Japanese collection of Song ceramics ...
Sotheby's Chinese Works of Art Department holds two auctions each year in London, New York, Hong Kong and Paris.
Chinese Art - View Auction details, bid, buy and collect the various artworks at Sothebys Art Auction House.
With more than 340 Chinese works of art dating from the Neolithic to the Republic periods, highlights of this sale include a selection of Qing Imperial monochromes from the collection of Arnold and Blema Steinberg, early ceramics from the Art Institute of Chicago and Chinese porcelain and works of art from the collection of Henry Arnhold.
Results: Sotheby's Asia Week achieved $52.4 million in six strong auctions, exceeding pre-sale estimates. With 76.5% of lots sold and 60.3% of lots surpassing high estimates, the Asian art sales at Sotheby's indicate continued collector interest in the finest works of art from China, India and and the Himalayas.
Today's sale of Important Chinese Art will proceed as planned with sessions at 10 AM and 2 PM EDT. Sotheby's will be monitoring the weather conditions throughout the day and will be available to coordinate alternative bidding options should conditions make it difficult for clients to attend the auction in person.
Bonhams Chinese Art department is renowned for offering the finest works of art representing the richness and breadth of China's artistic heritage, particularly Imperial porcelain, white and spinach green jades, cloisonné and Buddhist art. Specialised international auctions are held globally, including London, Hong Kong and San Francisco.
Bonhams : Chinese Works of Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. Please refer to our privacy and cookie policies for more information.
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars. We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. ... Chinese Art (US) General enquiries
Bonhams : Fine Chinese Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. Please refer to our privacy and cookie policies for more information.
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars Bonhams : Asian Art We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site.
Bonhams are international auctioneers of fine Chinese and Japanese art. We specialise in rare Imperial and Export Chinese ceramics and works of art, as well as Japanese ceramics, fine and decorative works of art from the Neolithic Period to the 20th century. View on map
Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers: auctioneers of art, pictures, collectables and motor cars. We use cookies to remember choices you make on functionality and personal features to enhance your experience to our site. By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. ... Asian Art Bonhams. Work. 22 Queen St.