Chinese Ceramic Marks Identification

10 understand this understand this is a difficult process and there are no shortcuts to becoming familiar with chinese porcelain marks.

Chinese ceramic marks identification.

Experts in chinese antiques understand what different marks represent including the era they denote. Almost at the same time that the chinese invented porcelain they also invented marks and copies sometimes to learn sometimes to honor sometimes to deceive sometimes to replace sometimes just to meet a demand. Marks of earlier periods have been used throughout almost the history of chinese porcelain. The shende tang was completed in 1831 thus making daoguang pieces with this mark attributable to the two decades between 1831 and 1850.

Marks on the porcelain antique chinese pottery and porcelain identification. Chinese antique porcelain identification top. The final assessment is locating marks on the porcelain. For easy reference and as a quick guide to the possible attribution of your latest porcelain collectible or pottery marks.

Identify a mark by shape. Marks with letters are listed in alphabetical order. Marks on chinese porcelain pieces are even and regular while marks on japanese porcelain will include an odd number and may be in different colors. Pottery marks identification guide index a collection of pottery marks using photos and images from our antique collection.

Serving as both evidence of its origin age and often times quality the makers mark on a porcelain item is the first place many collectors look before making a purchase. Reign marks are usually four or six characters in length and can be found on the base or the side of an item. 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. The most comprehensive reference book on chinese reign marks is gerald davison s the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics first published in 1994.

Reign marks can play a pivotal role in helping to identify the period in which chinese artefacts were created. The identification and authentication of chinese porcelain is a complex process of an overall verification of a number of factors. For any piece of fine china the porcelain mark is a symbol of pride in the manufacturer s workmanship. Identifying chinese porcelain involves more than just knowing the mark in order to decide age and manufacturer as many novices do believe.

See ming wilson rare marks on chinese ceramics london 1998 cat. Some marks look like a circle square bird or animal shape etc. Porcelain marks are the fingerprints of antique china.