Antique Chinese Porcelain brush pot

[Stan]

Hi Peter, I just purchased this at a local auction, it stands 16.51 cm high and 12.954 cm wide, it has pin hole size spots, rust spots and a deep cobalt blue, there are 15 peaches on the brush pot, usually there would be 13.
The mark is in my book and reads " shen de tang zhi " Hall for the Cultivation of Virtue- located in the old summer Palace or Yuanmigyuan or ' garden of perfect brightness' Originally known as just the 'Imperial Gardens', it is a complex of palaces and gardens just to the northwest of the ' Forbidden City', Beijing. Oringinally built by the Kangxi emperor and expanded by the yougzheng and Qianlong emperors during the 18th century and a residence by the Daoguang emperor who died there, it was then destroy by European troops in 1860 (Kangxi, Daoguang and republic periods).
The decoration on the the bottom the double swirles would put this in the late Qing or early republic, but I think it looks older to me, it is all hand painted and a well done piece, your expertise is appreciated, I will send several sets, thanks from Stan.

[Stan]

Here is another set of photos.

[Stan]

Here are more photos.

[Stan]

Last set of Photo's.

[calder]

Hi Stan.... lovely detailed pot.
Wish I could help.

[Stan]

Thanks Calder.

[peterp]

Hi Stan,
I'm afraid you got a 20th century item. The blue color is of a later type, probably chemical pigment.
Please also consider the following:
- The "whirl" decoration along the foot rim - apart from those bi-color ones in the Guangxu reign, all should usually be linked, not in pairs, if from the Qing dynasty. Those of the Ming dynasty are in pairs.
- Bats: the bats of the later Qing dynasty look usually a bit different.
- The foot rim would hardly be that wide if 19th century. At least it is not a standard rim for that period.

The mark would mean it is imperial. There were no such marks from private kilns, but it was and is widely copied on newer porcelain. The blue does not fit for Daoguang, as mentioned. And, despite the delicately painted faces, there are too many spots in the glaze for being imperial. My personal view.
See also:
http://www.chinese-antique-porcelain.com/exceptional-reign-marks.html

[Stan]

Thanks Peter, do you think it could be early republic?

[peterp]

I doubt it, Stan.

[Stan]

Hi Peter, your analytical method of observation prevails again, thanks! Stan.

[peterp]

Just to clarify the color a bit more: if the blue decoration contains a tint of red, however faint this may be, it is likely Yanglan (=western blue) of a later chemical color. Usually this is found on items from the Guangxu reign or later. The majority is republic period and later.
(Only aubergine blue monochrome decorations seem to have had a red tint otherwise, in the Qing dynasty, but these are few.)

To Stan: Japanese porcelain apparently had this color earlier, so don't mix this up with Chinese.