Bottle vase with Hongxian mark

[Stan]

Hi Peter, I think I really found something of importance, I hope you don't pop my bubble, but it looks authentic to me.
I have a bottle vase that has been drilled for a lamp, but there is just enough of the mark left to make it out, I am pretty sure it is a Hongxian mark, in photo 15, in my book shows a bottle vase very similar in shape and decoration, with hands on inspection there is some crazing in the glaze and some age signs but hardly noticeable, the size is the same 39.5 in height, here is 15 photo's to view the last photo 15 is a picture of a vase and mark that is in my book of marks, please let me know what you think, your opinion keeps me in check, thanks again.

[Stan]

Here are four more photos to view.

[Stan]

Here are four more photo's.

[Stan]

Here are the last set of photo's, thanks again.

[peterp]

Early republic could be right. Whether it is real Hongxian is difficult to tell. Many items with that mark were really applied after the two or so years of that period. Just assume it is early republic and keep your eyes open for further proof that it is Hongxian. If it is mark and period, that would give it a higher collecting value.
Please note that in your picture of the auction catalog it says "Hongxian period mark". It does not say Hongxian mark and period. There is a fine difference ...they were probably not sure either if it was of the period.

[Stan]

Thanks Peter, I will keep an open eye, and let you and everyone else know for sure, thanks again.

[Stan]

I was looking at the details with a 10X loop and all the thin blue lines that are drawn in the two bands around the neck and all the thin blue lines in the banana leaves and the bands on top, and in the middle and on the bottom have gold on top but what really surprises me is the very fine blue lines in the two bands around the waist and in the banana leaves were drawn over with gold, I have never seen that before, it must have taken a long time to paint and a very skilled hand to brush the gold over the thin blue lines and stay directly on top, there is a lot of other details that you can not see with the necked eye that amazes me of the craftsmanship and skill, I wonder if this was made in the imperial kiln and could be a real Hongxian period vase? I see vases of this sort before but I never have seen one this detailed in person, also this shape came from the Guangxu period and was mass produces in the republic period, the later ones on the inside of the vases looks new with no imperfections whatsoever, but on this one, there are a quite a few age marks on the very in side  bottom there are glaze cracks from when fired and where the two parts of the vase were joined together at the waist and the bulbous part of the vase there are small cracks all around where is was joined and black color in side the cracks, all these to me point to an earlier made vase and possibly in the imperial kiln,

[Stan]

In my book of marks this particular mark did not exist until 1915 - 1916.

[peterp]

Hongxian was the reign name the usurper Yuan Shi-kai used. He was the last general of the Qing dynasty, who tried to establish himself as emperor, but failed, after the republic was established. Therefore, this is a republic mark in any case.