Chinese Ceramic Marks

8 where a yellow glazed bowl with cranes bearing this mark is illustrated from the collection of the victoria and albert museum london.

Chinese ceramic marks.

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. As china has a long and illustrious history of ceramic production artisans would include reign marks from earlier periods. When viewing pieces at auction these marks will be listed as apocryphal. As per usual any dates or marks on antique chinese porcelain should be be treated with utmost caution however it is my impression that dates found in poems or other inscriptions on porcelain from late 19th century until mid 20th century in most cases seems to be surprisingly correct.

The most comprehensive reference book on chinese reign marks is gerald davison s the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics first published in 1994. 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. Iron red and cobalt blue. Marks found on chinese ceramics are significantly different from those on european antique ceramics.

This was a mark of respect to pay tribute to bygone emperors. For the first hundred years or so of porcelain production there were only two known pigments that could withstand the high firing temperature necessary. Most porcelain marks on fine antique china such as the meissen marks are underglaze meaning they were applied to the piece prior to firing.