Is this Figurine Vietnamese or Chinese ?

[george1968]

Hi, this was bought in North Vietnam. Figurine size, height: 420 mm, width: 102 mm, length 120 mm, weight: 1738 gr.
With my phone this is the best photo I could take of the mark, it is only 10 X 7 mm.
Assistance from this forum members would be greatly appreciated

[peterp]

Never seen one like that. Obviously, the attire is similar as that of Chinese officials.
If I would have to choose between Vietnam and China I would think Vietnam, but there is another choice. Is it new or old? The color decoration does not tell. Such clear, life-like features of the face would would mean it is relatively modern, if Chinese. Were you told this is Vietnamese? There is another possibility: Korean
The officials of both Vietnam and Korea had Chinese style official dresses until the 19th century, and both countries used Chinese in writing. In China, probably only Shiwan wares could have such details.
Anyone else?

[peterp]

Mark not known, but did you look at Shiwan (Shekwan) figurines? The Shiwan kiln is the most likely candidate for this type of figure and the clay color used.

[george1968]

thank you very much, is a good start start. Googled found a link with shiwan marks ( www.koh-antique.com/shiwan/shiwan.htm ) but I have no idea about Asian characters, if it is there I missed it. However, marked figurine, makes it different than many of them and possibly older one. In 1981 in haiphong, North Vietnam, just few years after the war, the local regime had a special shop where only foreigners could buy ( for example Western seamen , like my father ) , this shop full of porcelains that were confiscated from rich famillies and that had survived the bombing. Still many were damaged. As my parents bought few items, now in the last months rearching out for marks, I realised that items could be Chinese or even Thai or from anywhere, so as you tell me this could be even Korean it makes sense, it could be even Korean 

[peterp]

That type of mark is probably the craftsman's seal mark. Often these are not normal characters that are easily readable. You have to know that specific mark. Anyway, I would ignore it and it would not help much, probably. There are too many different figurines being made.
If you want to look at examples just make an image search for "shiwan antique figurines". They are still producing these now, but the 'antique' should eliminate many of the newer ones from the top of the search result.