Famille Rose Vase

bokaba · May 20, 2016, 15:20:05

First is a famille rose style vase. My thoughts are that the enameling is decent and the inside and base are of a teal color. I think the gold leaf is too shiny to be very old. I also think the mark appears to be recessed into porcelain as if the teal surface were cut away. There appears to be some aging to foot and rim, but not much. Any thoughts?

Stan · May 20, 2016, 21:07:22

This is a modern reproduction, the foot rim is not a worm back foot and the colors are modern, late 20th century in my view.

bokaba · May 20, 2016, 23:48:51

Stan, what is a worm back foot?

Stan · May 21, 2016, 08:08:03

A worm back foot is a foot rim that looks like a worm, the worm back foot rim was used in the Imperial kilns for porcelain wares made for the Emperor and the Imperial court.

peterp · May 21, 2016, 10:49:22

I want to add that it means it looks perfectly round on imperial wares, but some other kilns did also use this occasionally.
The foot rim of an item is flat when it stands on the wheel, but it is made almost perfectly round for the palace. Private kilns more often than not do only shave the sharp edges.
Thus, what Stan probably is saying is that if an item has an imperial mark but not worm-back foot rim then it is suspicious.

To this I want to add that this type of foot rim color is suspicious too. The foot rim is often dyed to make it look older.

Stan · May 21, 2016, 13:22:56

Thank you Peter for clarifying the worm back foot more precisely.

bokaba · May 22, 2016, 00:36:12

Thanks Peter. Would you be able to post a picture of worm foot for comparison?

peterp · May 22, 2016, 11:29:48

There is no need for that. It is just a semi-circle, not just round, but a neat 180 degree arc. As I said it was also sometimes produced by private kilns, but it is most frequent in modern items, probably because modern tools are making them easily.
Try this: tinyurl.com/zrobv6e (this is a minyao ware shard)

BTW, I believe there is also a difference in the graviata decoration between imperial and private kiln items. Yours is the most common appearing on the latter.

Stan · May 22, 2016, 22:56:57

I would show you all the worm back pieces that I have, but then I would be letting everyone know how much imperial porcelain I have, " Just Kidding".

Stan · May 23, 2016, 01:24:47

This is what a Worm Back foot should look like.