Chinese Ceramic Marks Identification

The identification and authentication of chinese porcelain is a complex process of an overall verification of a number of factors.

Chinese ceramic marks identification.

See ming wilson rare marks on chinese ceramics london 1998 cat. Identify a mark by shape. Porcelain marks are the fingerprints of antique china. The final assessment is locating marks on the porcelain.

Chinese porcelain reign marks identification. 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. Reign marks can play a pivotal role in helping to identify the period in which chinese artefacts were created. The shende tang was completed in 1831 thus making daoguang pieces with this mark attributable to the two decades between 1831 and 1850.

10 understand this understand this is a difficult process and there are no shortcuts to becoming familiar with chinese porcelain marks. For any piece of fine china the porcelain mark is a symbol of pride in the manufacturer s workmanship. Pottery marks identification guide index a collection of pottery marks using photos and images from our antique collection. The most comprehensive reference book on chinese reign marks is gerald davison s the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics first published in 1994.

Experts in chinese antiques understand what different marks represent including the era they denote. 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 of earlier periods have been used throughout almost the history of chinese porcelain. Some marks look like a circle square bird or animal shape etc.

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. Reign marks are usually four or six characters in length and can be found on the base or the side of an item. 8 where a yellow glazed bowl with cranes bearing this mark is illustrated from the collection of the victoria and albert museum london. Chinese antique porcelain identification top.

Identifying chinese porcelain involves more than just knowing the mark in order to decide age and manufacturer as many novices do believe. 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. See a comparison of chinese and non chinese marks.