Chinese Ceramics & Antiques Discussion

Antique Chinese Ceramics => Antique Japanese & Korean Ceramics => Topic started by: konniela on Dec 12, 2017, 02:58:05

Title: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: konniela on Dec 12, 2017, 02:58:05
Hello everybody,

this piece here makes me mad.  On the first view, the mark looks like Ming dynasty Chenghua, but I am sure, this is not Chenghua. I found out, that this mark was common used on Arita Imari pieces. The extra dot in the first character changes the meaning from Da (great) to Dai (greatest).

I could not find any other piece with this or a similar decoration, I could not even find out, if there a fruits or symbols on.

Age may be end 18th/early 19th century, but the mark was also used later.





Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: peterp on Dec 12, 2017, 08:53:03
You are right, the bottom is typical Japanese. Chances of finding Chenghua marked Japanese porcelain items are considerable higher than finding a Chinese one. And some have Chinese motifs that resemble Chinese porcelain to a degree that one can never be sure if it is Chinese or Japanese. So, we need to avoid relying on marks for identification. Always look at the other characteristics.
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: Stan on Dec 13, 2017, 00:16:43
Hi Konniela, your findings are correct, this is Japanse Arita ware the stilt marks on the bottom are one way tell that it is Japanese as the Chinese did not use stilts to fire their porcelain, not often that is also the blue rings on the bottom are a feature of the Arita kilns 3 to 4 rings were typical, also to let you know that the dot under the great changing it to greatest was an 18th century feature, that is good news because the later copies omit the dot but I am not 100% sure, could you post a photo of the bottom showing  the shape of the foot, inside and out, this should be taken at an angle for best results and to verify that it is 18th century.
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: konniela on Dec 13, 2017, 02:07:10
Like I said : This piece makes me mad.

It is an offer here at least three weeks and nobody is interested (exept me). I could have bought it two times and I did not. Since yesterday it is appeared again.
I thought the whole time, it is not good, because nobody take notice of it, also I could not find something to compare with.

I only have these two photos.

The price is low, so I think, we come back to it next week.  I thought realy, I would discrace with this piece.

Thanks to you
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: Stan on Dec 13, 2017, 03:03:48
If the outside of the foot is straight don't buy it.
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: konniela on Dec 13, 2017, 14:56:11
Believe me, there is no big risk, you can pay more for two pizzas and a coke in a restaurant, if the price stays that way. 
I spend a lot of time with this piece and for me 19th century would be good also.

By the way, this here is beeing offered as chinese.

Please, I would llike to know, what the painting represents : Fruits, symbols or only fantasy ?
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: Stan on Dec 13, 2017, 23:18:46
Well, if it is a Fake it will stay that way for a long time to, in these photo's I do not see any age signs and the porcelain looks to good, as for the decoration it looks like a passion flower and vine, it  to looks 20th century or newer.
Title: Re: Arita-Imitating Chenghua mark
Post by: konniela on Dec 15, 2017, 02:49:01
You are right, age signs are not very much visible. But I dont`t think, that it is only because of beeing a fake still there, the guangxu plate was offered more than three weeks befor I bought it, and this at a price of 45 ?. I can see here every day people buying crazy things for much more money.

It looks very unusual, I will think it over.

But I was very interesting and I learned a lot.

Thanks