Moon flask

[Claudio]

Hi Peter,

I'd have one more item to show you today. I'm worried for the odd foot rim. H cm 21. Thank you for your time.

www.dropbox.com/s/vq0h0wd1z4vje8b/20161205_135336.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/dkkehxmuq8488ir/20161205_135359.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/hd99haitrjzmduw/20161205_135416.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/aq5e2n3ycnghf6t/20161205_135442.jpg?dl=0

www.dropbox.com/s/8amv42qczrnhl1a/20161205_135531.jpg?dl=0

[peterp]

You are right. All looks right for a Qing dynasty item, but the foot rim is odd. This time it is not the shape; that would be okay for a vase or similar, but the fact that there seems to be glaze or something covering the foot rim.  Theoretically that is not possible, otherwise the item could not be removed from the ground or saggar where it stands during firing. Would need a hands-on inspection to check what could be causing this.  Can you upload a closeup partial picture of the foot rim at different angles (also from directly above). Is the area which the flask stands on actually covered in glaze?

[Claudio]

It looks as if they placed a sort of glassy sand on the rim before firing.

www.dropbox.com/s/9uokbqc35rfple2/IMGP6539.JPG?dl=0
www.dropbox.com/s/mldzty64nf9s6b3/IMGP6540.JPG?dl=0
www.dropbox.com/s/9j8qvc01zy8i7ld/IMGP6541.JPG?dl=0
www.dropbox.com/s/59a7txnlnb7qrt4/IMGP6542.JPG?dl=0

[peterp]

Still the same here. The glaze and blue colors, decoration, etc. all should correspond to Qing dynasty. There is kiln grit visible inside the foot rim. Signs of kiln grit can be found until the Qianlong reign. But the foot rim, respectively its color, does not look like a normal Qing dynasty foot rim. Items of this quality and made at Jingdezhen during this period should not have this type of foot rim.

[Claudio]

Thank you very much for your time Peter. Allow me to show you one more photo with a more real hue of the rim, if it can be useful. Sorry, in the previous ones I forgot to adjust the white balance. 

www.dropbox.com/s/9uokbqc35rfple2/IMGP6539.JPG?dl=0

[Michael]

I have an item with the same glassy but very rough bottom. The Chinese fellow who sold it to me said it is a late 19th century replica vase. It's a replica but antique.

[Claudio]

Thanks for the good news Michael. I'd be happy if it still were late Qing. Hope that with the last more realistic photo, also Peter could be more optimistic about this item.

[peterp]

I can not give you a final answer. You need to have someone knowledgeable do hands-on inspection. That would include inspection with magnifier, etc.  Or wait until you see something similar...

The only explanations I can think of for this foot rim is:  either it was refired later, with glaze added, or it stood on kiln grit or something similar during the original firing. But still, color and roughness are not normal.
If this foot rim were late Ming or early Qing, it would be more likely, but items done in the late Qing dynasty at Jingdezhen are "unlikely" to have that. The foot rim should have a fine consistency. All other, including age signs look fine. But exceptions do happen.

[Claudio]

Thank you so much Peter! I'll try to find in Italy someone knowledgeable enough to do that, if exist. If it were late Ming or early Qing, it would be an amazing piece of art. As usual, the accuracy of your analysis is invaluable. 

[peterp]

To me it looks more like 19th century. There is nothing special about this. All collectors have pieces that are difficult to tell if they are right or not. We wait sometimes years to verify whether they are authentic or not. A undamaged moon flask is quite something, even if it were late in the 19th century.

[Claudio]

Thank you again for your inputs.