Gotheborg.com

This page is only one of many thousands of Gotheborg.com Help and Information Pages, offering specialized knowledge on Chinese and Japanese Porcelain, including a Glossary, Q&A, Chinese and Japanese Porcelain Marks, Chinese Porcelain Exhibition and Excavation reports etc. For personal help and far more information, join our Discussion Board or use 'Ask a Question' for quick email consultations. For full text and better navigation, use a full-screen device rather than a mobile phone, that offers only limited content.

Vase with enameled decoration of flowers and Chinese characters

For several weeks, my husband and I have been researching a Chinese vase we purchased at an auction. The colors look like they belong to the famille verte art work. I have not been able to find a shape that is identical to the one we have.

Could you offer us some suggestions on what period this vase may be from, or tell us the direction to follow for more research.

Attached are two photographs of the vase. Any help you can give us will be appreciated.


From the first half of the 20th century

Your vase is hard to date exactly based on its style only.

It is typical, though, for vases generally considered to belong to the first half of the 20th century.

The decoration had by this time wandered off from those generally meant by any "Famille" denominations. The Chinese name today is "Fencai" meaning "soft enamels" in general.

A close examination of the inscription will probably reveal a Chinese cyclical date, but since these dates equally well could be the date of the poem as of the vase, it normally does not help very much.

Thank you for your interest.

Best regards,
Jan-Erik Nilsson