Large Powder blue fish bowl

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:09:35

Hi Peter, I think this is a powder blue, if it is its the first time I have owned one, I think it might be Guangxu period but not sure, could you please tell me the age and if it is a powder blue, I picked this up at the local auction at the same time I picked up the planter, I will post 12 photo's for you to view, the size of the fish bowl is 35.3 cm tall and 41.6 wide, thanks for your expertise.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:10:41

Here are more photo's to view.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:13:54

Here is the last set of photo's to view, thanks again. P.S. This is very heavy and all hand drawn and the porcelain has a nice high ring tone when you click it with your finger.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:15:36

I forgot to mention that is was sprinkling out side and there is water drops on the bowl.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:21:26

Also I just noticed that the blue color in photo 9jpg is the wrong color blue, in this photo there is to much purple, it dose not even resemble the actual blue on the vase I will try to get a photo that matches the blue.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:37:41

Here are two more photo's but the blue still has to much purple but a little closer, it is cloudy out side and some how distorts the true blue colors.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:38:50

Another photo of the foot.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 02:42:37

The last photo I posted is the closest to the blue color, close to the foot is almost a perfect match but then starts to change further up on the picture but the blue close to the foot is the correct blue though out the bowl.

peterp · May 13, 2015, 07:09:38

Hi Stan,
I am not sure how to call this color, but powder means a brighter color, in my imagination.
In Chinese this is called ceremonial blue, one of the four colors used for ceremonial vessels. The blue color was sprayed on, apparently.
Generally I would agree with Guangxu, but I cannot see any age or usage signs. The interior is spotless white in the pictures. You have to check yourself if this has any age signs. Relying on the decoration and bottom alone in this case may be inconclusive. With larg Guangxu vessels of this type one might expect at least some glaze contractions or spots inside, near or on bottom area. In the pictures the gilt also seems perfect, I would expect at least some scratches or abrading. If all looks new, then it would be at least republic or later, I assume.
I see there are some scratches in the white glaze. You should check if there is scratching with two or more parallel lines, which could have been added with a tool. If the scratching is natural, the scratch lines should be going every which way. Of course, if a scratch of the white glaze runs up to the on-glaze decoration color, it should be visible in that color too. Otherwise it could mean the on-glaze decoration was added later.

Stan · May 13, 2015, 11:53:38

Hi Peter, there appears to be wear but no age signs in the porcelain itself, the porcelain is a high quality with a high ring sound, their are some rust spots but not very many, no pitting at all and no glaze shrinkage or firing flaws. the picture of the inside was not clear there is a lot of what appears to be scratches on the bottom and on the sides about 6.3 cm from the bottom up, I believe that was caused by sand, there used to be gold on the top out side rim and top inside rim, there are still remnants, and the scratches are not consistent, kind of all over and different size and depth of scratches, I no all these things can be faked, but on this pot it looks pretty convincing of age, I did not like the high gloss shine in the glaze, but I have seen high gloss Guangxu vases at the high auctions, the bottom also resembled a Guangxu bottom, but I have my reserves about it being of the period, I just do not no that much about this type of ware, I did not pay to much at the auction and it is a very nice decorative item, thank you for all your correspondence and your expert opinion.