Chinese Imari

[Stan]

Hi Peter and all, here is a nice piece of Chinese Imari, it is a large punch bowl, it measures 31.3 cm across and 14.6 hight, I would like to point out that it dose have dead bubbles and bubble bursts on the bottom, I think it is Kangxi but I am not sure, I will post 8 photo's to view, and thanks you for your expertise.

[Stan]

Here are 2 more to view.

[Stan]

2 more photo's.

[Stan]

And here are the bottom photo's, thanks for viewing.

[peterp]

Probably Kangxi, as you said. I have never seen such a large bowl.

[Stan]

Hi Peter, I purchased this from a friend of mine that has been a dealer for decades, he is retired and is now selling most of his collection, he had one of the best collection of Chinese Imari, he has another bowl that is smaller with similar decoration for sale not sure what he wants for it but this is the one I wanted because of its size, and it is excellent condition with no chips, cracks or repairs, he also has large 18th century Japanese Imari vase with lid for sale, he did not give me a price, but for what it is this bowl was not to expensive, the Chinese over here are not knowledgeable on chinese export esp. Chinese Imari because it is rare even here you do not see it that often, it is nice to have an authentic piece, thanks Peter for verifying the piece, he said that real kangxi bowls were thin, he called it raiser thin edge, is that just a term? raiser thin to me would be egg shell, Im not sure Kangxi had egg shell thin items during that period, but on this bowl and the other one he has he called the rim a raiser edge rim.

[peterp]

Stan, from the perspective of porcelain workmanship the Kangxi reign is separated in three periods. Some things changed over time, like the thickness. What we see in export porcelain is mostly from the third part, about 1700 or late 17th century to 1722. Actually it might be 1690s. There was a sea prohibition when China closed its ports to all ships and people could neither trade nor otherwise use ships, because they new Qing government wanted to prevent remnants of Ming adherents from attacking them from the sea. The ban was lifted only in the 1680s, when the situation had stabilized; so little porcelain could have been exported before that.
There have always been different rim shapes, some straight up, some bent outwards a bit, etc.. That is not a period specific thing. The brown edge color was applied to fortify the rim; that way the edge was less likely to develop rim frits.

Eggshell porcelain is a different matter. It has been made throughout the Qing dynasty. I have a saucer from the Kangxi reign that is eggshell. Eggshell is porcelain with the clay shaved off to a degree that almost only the glaze remains.

[Stan]

Thanks Peter, that is amazing the something so frail could have survived over 300 plus years with out damage.