Do Rust Spots Always Indicate Advanced Age?

[dana]

I have a blue and white bowl which has rust spots. It is very unusual looking and the integrity of the bowl may have been compromised when it was fired because some of the painted images are misaligned. I have never seen anything like this before. I was told the design on the inner rim means something. I was not told what and I no longer have access to the individual who made the statement. There are rust spots in all of the images. There is no reign mark. How old do you think this bowl is given there are at least 5 rust spots? Does anyone have any insight as to what its origin may be?

[peterp]

First of all, yes rust spots can and are faked. Rust spots are the result of iron oxide that is growing out of the glaze. When viewed with sufficient enlargment by a magnifier or microscope they look clearly three dimensional, fake spots often are flat because they were painted. 
The misalignment you see along the rim decoration has nothing to do with firing. This is the result of transfer printing. Elements that are repeated are added via a transfer unto the substrate instead of painting them individually. The misalignment is where the neighbouring transfer was not aligned properly by the person doing them. Not sure what the flowers in the decoration are, but they do not look typical Chinese, as found on traditional porcelain.

You did not provide a side view proper, which would show the actual shape, but from the view at angle from above the rim does not like a typical, traditional shape.

I would think this was made in the last two or three decades at the best. Not sure if it is Chinese at all, but the outer rim decoration is also nothing traditional Chinese, I'm afraid.

[peterp]

Just wanted to add that a decoration can easily be imitated at a later time, but shape, condition of the base and the glaze are most important with antique items, yet more difficult to evaluate. In this case, even if the decoration is ignored, the above three just do not look very old.

[dana]

That is fascinating. Thank you for your expert view on the blue and white bowl!!!