Qianlong Period Plate

[bokaba]

I recently purchased this plate at a local shop. It is 9 inches in diameter. I believe it is a mid-Qianlong period export plate. It has an old staple repair unfortunately. Is my dating correct?

Thank you

Bokaba

[peterp]

Qianlong is right...

[Lee Seng Kong]

Hi Peter/Bokaba

Can I assume your judgement that it is Qinglong is based on

i) the drawing of the face of the people ?? ( I learnt this from somewhere on this forum)

plus.....???

Your advice  would most certainly be appreciated on this form

[Stan]

This is typical Chinese export from the Qianlong period, the colors, faces and foot rim all point to this period, also the staple repair was done at least a hundred years ago, nice plate Bokaba.

[bokaba]

Yes, you can get an idea of age based on faces, but I would not rely solely on that to date pieces.

Bokaba

[peterp]

Painted decorations can be easily copied. Luckily we haven't seen that many export item fakes until today.
The foot rim of plates needs to have a slanted face to be 18th century. Usage signs: there may or may not be usage signs, depending on whether an item has been in actual use or not. Age signs and kiln/manufacturing traces typical of a period.

In this specific case (Qianlong) faces may be colored, frequently the background is colored in a similar manner. And, before all, the hats of men are important. If there are men, you see the conical hat worn by officials of the Qing dynasty. This is the only period when such hats were painted, possibly on request of the Dutch. Otherwise, Ming hats were normally painted.

The year dates come most likely from the registered shipping logs or similar, or their arrival data in Europe. I know only that the VOC registered the details of shipments in Batavia.

[Lee Seng Kong]

Thank-you ..Thank-you ...everyone

With this type of detailed description by Peter supplemented  with  pictures from Bokaba alongside..... I believe most participants will find it easier to understand and learn.

For sure, I am going to look closely  on faces and hats on my collection

Bokaba.....thanks for providing pictures of faces as a guide for identification.

Can you please lead me to where you got those pictures.

Stan...your information on the stapling proved to be fascinating.....I have been wondering why use staple when we have strong adhesive nowadays....did not know it was a practice carried out more than 100 years ago!!!

[bokaba]

The pictures of faces are from Tommy Eklof's book:

www.gotheborg.com/bestbooks/?p=1161

I don't have the full book (yet) just the demo pages.

[peterp]

I know, I have seen excerpts of the faces before the book was published. It is one of the few that helps with dating. Always keep in mind that later copies may show the same, so do not rely on the decoration only. Age and usage signs are important too.