Chinese Ceramic Marks Identification

Marks of earlier periods have been used throughout almost the history of chinese porcelain.

Chinese ceramic marks identification.

Marks with letters are listed in alphabetical order. The final assessment is locating marks on the porcelain. Identifying chinese porcelain involves more than just knowing the mark in order to decide age and manufacturer as many novices do believe. Identify a mark by shape.

Reign marks are usually four or six characters in length and can be found on the base or the side of an item. 10 understand this understand this is a difficult process and there are no shortcuts to becoming familiar with chinese porcelain marks. The shende tang was completed in 1831 thus making daoguang pieces with this mark attributable to the two decades between 1831 and 1850. Porcelain marks are the fingerprints of antique china.

Chinese antique porcelain identification top. For any piece of fine china the porcelain mark is a symbol of pride in the manufacturer s workmanship. Reign marks can play a pivotal role in helping to identify the period in which chinese artefacts were created. For easy reference and as a quick guide to the possible attribution of your latest porcelain collectible or pottery marks.

8 where a yellow glazed bowl with cranes bearing this mark is illustrated from the collection of the victoria and albert museum london. It lists around 1 800 marks including all the major ming 1368 1644 and qing 1644 1911 dynasty imperial reign marks in addition to the many studio marks hall marks and myriad miscellaneous. Some marks look like a circle square bird or animal shape etc. See a comparison of chinese and non chinese marks.

Marks on chinese porcelain pieces are even and regular while marks on japanese porcelain will include an odd number and may be in different colors. Experts in chinese antiques understand what different marks represent including the era they denote. The identification and authentication of chinese porcelain is a complex process of an overall verification of a number of factors. Pottery marks identification guide index a collection of pottery marks using photos and images from our antique collection.

Serving as both evidence of its origin age and often times quality the makers mark on a porcelain item is the first place many collectors look before making a purchase. The most comprehensive reference book on chinese reign marks is gerald davison s the handbook of marks on chinese ceramics first published in 1994. Almost at the same time that the chinese invented porcelain they also invented marks and copies sometimes to learn sometimes to honor sometimes to deceive sometimes to replace sometimes just to meet a demand.