Blue & White Octagonal Dragon Vase

[Hubsnbubs]

Hello!

We have had this vase lying around for some time as we hit a dead end trying to research it so wondered if anyone had any ideas ?

It is an 8" octagonal blue and white vase with very drippy and blurry hand painted 4 toed dragons and decorative panels- the mark is unusual as you can see in pictures (what looks like 2 keys? and "1983") painted under glaze. With those marks we can't imagine it is really Chinese and don't really know how old it is (unless it is infact from 1983!) but we would love to get any info on it at all as its a bit of a mystery!

Thanks so much in advance,

Chris & Ali

[Stan]

Yes, I agree not Chinese.

[peterp]

The decoration is made to look like Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain, but the shape is  off the normal.

[Hubsnbubs]

Hi Peter & Stan, thanks for the replies and info - very interesting, yes we couldn't find a shape match with that slanted in top.

Any ideas on age (unless that is a date on the base) or actual country of origin?

Thanks!

Chris & Ali

[peterp]

No idea. What is disconcerting is the bottom, which looks old inside and outside, but viewing the picture with the shoulder it looks quite new. Not sure how this came about. The year, etc. on the bottom are possibly stamped on top of the glaze.

[Hubsnbubs]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the reply! The photos of the side view are a little bleached out, don't really show the crazing as they really are (not that this is any true indicator of age anyway!) but I have added a few more just for fun - it will just have to remain one of those mysteries I guess!

Chris & Ali