Chinese Ceramic Pottery Marks

Reign marks should be studied alongside the many different variations of hallmarks auspicious marks potters marks and symbols that you find on the bases of chinese porcelain throughout the ages.

Chinese ceramic pottery marks.

Mar 18 2015 explore sandi logan s board collection of porcelain pottery makers marks followed by 367 people on pinterest. Reign marks are not limited to chinese porcelain they can be found on anything from jades to lacquerware from bronzes to cloisonné enamels. Chinese porcelain reign marks identification. See more ideas about pottery makers makers mark pottery marks.

The dates are almost exclusively given as chinese cyclical dates which are repeated in 60th year cycles without a reference to the period of the reigning emperor it is thus possible to by mistake date a piece 60 years back or forward in time. There was a brief time during the kangxi period in 1667 when the emperor issued an edict forbidding the use of his reign mark on porcelain in case the ceramics were smashed and discarded. For any piece of fine china the porcelain mark is a symbol of pride in the manufacturer s workmanship. The position of the mark would depend on the piece itself but generally speaking for vessels like vases bowls or plates it can be found on the base but there are instances where pieces bear a single line mark to the rim or even on the interior.

Porcelain marks are the fingerprints of antique china. This practise of applying stamped four character qianlong nian zhi marks was especially common on porcelain decorated in hong kong during the 1960s and 70s but is in no way limited to this period. Reign marks are usually four or six characters in length and can be found on the base or the side of an item. Later porcelain with this mark are often called fakes however the occurrence of this mark on later porcelain is most of the time seen as part of the decoration and not to be taken serious.

A collection of pottery marks using photos and images from our antique collection for easy reference and as a quick guide to the possible attribution of your latest porcelain collectible or pottery marks. Marks found on chinese ceramics are significantly different from those on european antique ceramics. This is a list of chinese porcelain pieces that have been decorated in such a way that the decoration includes a date. The marks listed below are grouped as far as was possible in a logical order with similar signs graphics shapes etc grouped together.

A useful reference book is the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics gerald davison london 1994. 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.