Wall sconce

[Stan]

Hi Peter, Im not sure if this is a sconce, but surly to hang on a wall, it has a rectangular opening to put something in, do you know what it was used for and is this Chinese Export, it has an old label that says it is from the Qianlong period, it could be it has all the right age signs and the blue color is a little darker than shown, I made a make shift photo booth, Im still working on it, I am getting the colors to come out better, but they are still not quite right there is not any purple in the blue color, these photo's are better than before, I will eventually get it right, please let me know how old you think this is and what it is used for, thanks for your help

[Stan]

Here is the last set of photo's, thanks again.

[peterp]

Hi Stan,
We have too few points of reference, only the glaze and the blue color. If the actual color were the same as in the pictures, I would think at the most late Qing. If the actual color is different you will have to tell yourself what period it could be.

I do not think this is export, no matter whether it was exported or not.
One question, is the top hole connected to the holes on the back or not? If it can hold water, then it is likely a wall vase. There are two things in Chinese porcelain that are fairly common and hung unto a wall, that is the mentioned wall vases, the other is chop stick holders. The latter would have a wide mouth and holes in the bottom. This is too small.
I imagine that it might have been used for some sort of decoration, or a holder of incense sticks.  But perhaps not for burning them as the ash would fall down, unless something was placed below to catch the ash.

[Stan]

Hi Peter, the first picture is correct, the blue though is a little darker in real life, I have a serving plater that I posted awhile back that is Qianlong period but the blue on that platter is darker blue, I have seen at the high auctions this color blue before, and they said it was Qianlong period, I just have never seen it in real life, also I have never seen a wall sconce in this shape, The wholes in the back do not go through and it could hold water, so it must be a wall vase, thanks Peter for your help.

[peterp]

Stan, when checking if it could be Qianlong underglaze blue it should be sufficient to look at the wide range of B/W export porcelain, both made at JDZ and Canton during that reign. I think these are very convenient to identify the range of blue color tones and white glazes, and they are probably one of the most readily available and reliable means of color comparison.