Teacups with unknown characters

Started by Beckford, Aug 24, 2014, 19:02:32

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Beckford

Hello, I am new to this forum. There seem to be some real experts here, so I have a question. I recently bought two teacups with unknown characters written on the outside. The same line is repeated in every row. The same inscription is on each cup, although the cups are slightly different. One has a footrim, the other hasn't. One is glossy, the other rather dull. On the bottom of each there's a fake Chenghua mark, but I'd rather guess at Qianlong or later. The cups are very thin, light shines through. The diameter is 8 cm.
Can anyone help as to determine the age? I am also interested in knowing what kind of characters are used. Maybe export porcelain for India?
Thanks
Beckford

peterp

> a fake Chenghua mark, but I'd rather guess at Qianlong or later.

I would think quite some time later, if the overall bright color is the same as that shown in the enlargments of the bases. The dark blue in the pictures where both cups are shown would be more real, if it were 19th century or later, but if everything has as bright a blue, then it would be 20th century. The lighting under which pictures are taken is important, in order to judge the hue of the white glaze and blue pigment.
Usually, "apocryphal" Chenghua marks are not written this way, and there is some  slight difference in at least one of the characters from those of the Ming dynasty.

Cannot help with the language, but it is definitely neither Chinese, Japanese nor Korean.
Domestic porcelain of Qing dynasty or later may contain Manchu, export porcelain may contain Thai, Persian, and possibly Arabic writing, not sure about Tibetan, but also Sanskrit. You will have to compare letter with these.

Beckford

Hi Peter
thanks for your answer. The pictures were made by daylight at the window. I enclose another picture taken outside on a white background and tried to render the colors as correct as possible. The blue is different in each of the cups and quite dark in one, but there is a double line of brighter blue on top and near the bottom of the cups.