Chinese hu vase

[Stan]

Hi Peter, the colors on this vase is very transparent and they are raise a bit, not much though, they stand 45.72 cm tall and 31.75 cm wide, the detail is amazing all hand painted, there are age signs, pitting, missing glaze in some areas and rust spots not many, the faces look like they are later made vases but not sure, Im thinking republic period first half of the 20th century, I have a pair both with mirror decoration, please let me know what you think, the mark is an apocryphal Jiaqing mark, I will send lots of photo's.

[Stan]

More photo's.

[Stan]

Here are more photo's.

[Stan]

Here are more photo's.

[peterp]

Stan, the mark makes me think that it is more recent. Originally, I thought perhaps first half of the 20th century.
The painting style, especially the faces, is something that developinged in the early 20th century, but the Jiaqing mark is something that makes it doubtful. Early copies just did not use a Jiaqing mark, and that specific painting style is something used much later, not in the 19th century.

The black writing would be worn a bit if it were early 20th century. BTW, it says "18 Arhats picture", so it is a title rather than a date or signature.

[Stan]

Thank you Peter.

[Stan]

Hi Peter, I was thumbing through one of Bonhams catalogues that is coming up in Sydney, Paddington, and they have a Hu form vase in famille-rose decoration with a Jiaqing mark, they do not give the age, but they are saying it is worth $1900.00 to $2800.00 and theirs is only 29 cm. I think I did good on these.

[shelley Kong]

Peter and Stan,
Is the last character "picture" in simplified Chinese?

[Stan]

Hi Shelly, Peter will have to answer that, could you explain the difference, would simplified mean later?

[Stan]

The auction number is 22263 september 1st this year.

[shelley Kong]

Stan,
Simplified Chinese has been used since the 50s or 60s in Mainland China, so that tells us something about the age!

[Stan]

So is it simplified or not, and thank you for explaining that and are you absolutely sure if the dates, it could't be from the 40s  could it?

[peterp]

No Shelley, the Simplified Chinese character is ? .
The one on the vase is a variation of the Traditional Chinese character. You will encounter it occasionally on porcelain. It is also mentioned in the Kangxi dictionary.

Stan, their vase could be older. The single picture is insufficient to evaluate age properly, but yours is hardly a 19th century painting style. Unfortunately, there are lots of 20th century items with red Jiaqing marks on the market. So, just looking at the decoration will hardly do for authentication or dating.

[Stan]

But you can make the picture bigger  and see minute detail, it looks 20th century to me and has a Jiaqing mark, so you think the 20th century one that Bonhams has is older the my 20th century, I do not think the one on Bonhams is early republic but republic period, perhaps it is a little older, but I like mine better, and I have a pair and mine are bigger, I just hope that mine are not bran new, they look like they have some age.
Bonhams dose not give an age, so I think they are uncertain of the age, and you have to admit the elephants on the sides look modern.

[peterp]

I meant it 'could' be older. Maybe I did not come close enough with the enlargement, but I could not see enough details to decide whether it could be early 19th or 20th century. Would need to see the faces with better resolution.
Just to be sure, when they do not say M&P there is usually a good reason. Either they are not sure about the age, or they are sure that it is not from the period shown.