How to Tell the Age Signs in Antique Porcelain Jars

How to Tell the Age Signs in Antique Porcelain Jars

Article by Dustin Shaw

Antique Chinese porcelain jars and old glass bottles from China which are being passed off as antiques are very common in online auction sites and in Chinese cultural shops. When it comes to Chinese antique jars, sometimes the only way to buy a real Chinese antique is to acquire them in an illegal way. Most seasoned collectors or buyers of Chinese antique porcelain and antique glass jar pieces know that China prohibits the export of any antique items dated over 100 years old. This applies to both high-class porcelain from private kilns and everything that comes from official kilns. Thus, fakery and reproductions abound in the trade of Chinese antiquities.

Familiarizing yourself on the various porcelain age signs will help you to tell a fake from a real one. And yes, age characteristics, too, can be faked, but if you are knowledgeable enough, then the chances of you being duped are less.

The following are the age signs in antique porcelain jars:

1. Discoloration and deterioration of the glaze. Under normal circumstances, the glaze and decoration on porcelain do not get discolored at all even after a very long period of time. The exceptions are when the porcelain jars are in the soil or under the sea. Shipwreck porcelain finds are normally a diluted white, although some traces of the original coloration are still visible.

2. Crackle lines. Discolored crackle lines, normally turning to yellowish brown, are signs of age. They can be artificially created though. So, you must always check the credibility of your dealer.

3. Rust spots. The iron residue mixed in with the clay moves gradually to the surface of the ceramic body after a long period of time; this movement forms small rust spots. It is very rare that the rust spots are large. Large rust spots may be faked. The tiny rust spots look black to the eye if small and brownish if larger.

4. Glaze contractions. Glaze contractions can serve as a sign of age but not always. They result from conditions in ancient kilns. 5. Hairlines, gl! aze line s, or cracks. Most of these are indicative of age and natural phenomena when the antique is subjected to wear and tear over the years. During firing, the clay and the glaze are both subjected to very high temperatures; this creates tensions in the material. During the cooling process, the clay and the glaze cool down at varying rates. Thus, fine cracks or hair lines appear on the porcelain surface. View the antique at an angle to check for fine hairlines in the glaze.

CHINESE ITEMS SOLD ebay seller mk20030 www.ebay.com

Gracie China Vintage Green Rose Porcelain 11-Piece Tea Set

  • Teapot(9 by 5-1/2 by 6-1/2), sugar(6-1/4 by 4-1/4 by 4-3/4), creamer(5.34 by 4-1/4 by 4), four cups(5 by 4 by 2-3/4), four saucers(5-1/2)
  • Material: porcelain
  • Vintage green rose
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Not safe in microwave
Gracie China's Vintage Green Rose Collection, by Coastline Imports, is lovely porcelain which can complement the kitchen, dining and living room. Vintage Green Rose, 11-piece Tea Service, includes Teapot, Sugar, Creamer and Four 7- Ounce Cups and Saucers.

List Price: $ 90.00 Price: $ 55.84

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain: Vibrant Festive Ware of the Straits Chinese (No)

Exuberant, ornate and colorful, Straits Chinese porcelain is a variety of polychrome enameled export ware made to specification in China during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This lovely porcelain was made for the Straits-born Chinese or Peranakan communities in Penang, Malacca and Singapore and was used on festive occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and Chinese New Year.

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain is illustrated with over 800 full-color photographs of these distinctive porcelain types. Supported by text and photographs on many related aspects of the characteristic Straits Chinese culture, such as architecture, dress and cuisine, Peranakan Chinese Porcelain is a wonderful contribution to the history of the Straits Chinese.

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Total Modernity and the Avant-Garde in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art

"Written by one of the most important advocates and theorists of contemporary Chinese art, Total Modernity and the Avant-Garde in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art traces the historical roots of contemporary Chinese art and interprets some of the most important events that shaped it over the past three decades. Making serious theoretical claims based on firsthand observations, this book sheds light not only on the unique characteristics of recent Chinese art but also on the growing complexity of contemporary art in general." Wu Hung , Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History and East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and Director, Center for the Art of East Asia, University of Chicago

List Price: $ 39.95 Price: $ 26.33

Chinese Calligraphy (The Culture & Civilization of China)

Chinese calligraphy, with its artistic as well as utilitarian values, has been treasured for its formal beauty for more than three millennia. This lavishly illustrated book brings to English language readers for the first time a full account of calligraphy in China, including its history, theory, and importance in Chinese culture. Representing an unprecedented collaboration among leading Chinese and Western specialists, the book provides a definitive and up-to-date overview of the visual art form most revered in China.

The book begins with the premise that the history of Chinese script writing represents the core development of the history of Chinese culture and civilization. Tracing the development of calligraphic criticism from the second century to the twenty-first, the fourteen contributors to the volume offer a well-balanced and readable account of this tradition. With more than 600 illustrations, including examples of extremely rare Chinese calligraphy from all over the world, and an informative prologue by Wen C. Fong, this book will make a welcome addition to the library of every Western reader interested in China and its premiere art form.

(20081221)

List Price: $ 75.00 Price: $ 47.45

In the Realm of the Flower Phoenix

The Flower Phoenix is an ancient handscroll which has been created through generations of women artists. The original page of the handscroll was created by China's Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. The Tang Dynasty is considered by many to be the height of Chinese artistic culture, and Li Bai is China's most renowned ancient poet. Li Bai was inspired by the beauty of Yang Mei. Yang Mei inspires the master painter Wu Daozi. Wu Daozi creates the second page of the Flower Phoenix handscroll. Legends say that Wu Daozi was a mystical painter, who at the end of his life painted a doorway in the side of a mountain, opened the door and disappeared forever.
Each generation creates panels in the book. By telling the story, the storyteller creates a portal into the Realm of the Flower Phoenix. The "storybearer" reads the story and summons the power of the energy of all the generations.
The story opens with Mable "Peach Blossom" Yang's one hundredth birthday celebration. She is going to pass the book on to the next generation. Mable is the most potent storybearer in the family line.
Hand scroll paintings were rolled from one side to the other and as each painted section was revealed, the story of the imagery was viewed and discussed. The book unfolds over many generations and the lives of the long line of women artists who created the Flower Phoenix are brought to life by the telling.The Flower Phoenix is an ancient handscroll which has been created through generations of women artists. The original page of the handscroll was created by China's Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. The Tang Dynasty is considered by many to be the height of Chinese artistic culture, and Li Bai is China's most renowned ancient poet. Li Bai was inspired by the beauty of Yang Mei. Yang Mei inspires the master painter Wu Daozi. Wu Daozi creates the second page of the Flower Phoenix handscroll. Legends say that Wu Daozi was a mystical painter, who at the end of his life painted a doorway in the side of a mountain, opened the door and disappe! ared for ever.
Each generation creates panels in the book. By telling the story, the storyteller creates a portal into the Realm of the Flower Phoenix. The "storybearer" reads the story and summons the power of the energy of all the generations.
The story opens with Mable "Peach Blossom" Yang's one hundredth birthday celebration. She is going to pass the book on to the next generation. Mable is the most potent storybearer in the family line.
Hand scroll paintings were rolled from one side to the other and as each painted section was revealed, the story of the imagery was viewed and discussed. The book unfolds over many generations and the lives of the long line of women artists who created the Flower Phoenix are brought to life by the telling.

List Price: $ 0.99 Price: $ 0.99

BK0271Y-Chinese Painted Fancy Basket , Vintage, China, Wood (Mu), Antique Asian Decor: Chinese Paint

  • Vintage
  • China
  • Red / Gold
  • 13" wide x 13" deep x 16.5" high
Chinese painted fancy food basket with carved images of bats of happiness and deer on lid and other Chinese symbols on the bottom rim. Reed handles and red lacquered finish.

Price:

Chinese calligraphy writing and brush painting / sumi set

  • Great starter set
  • 5 brushes, ink well / stone, ink stick, signing ink, stone chop, brush rest, & water well
  • Nicely presented in chinese brocade gift box
  • Size: 8.5" x 6"
  • Made in China
Chinese character writing is a highly evolved discipline that relies as much on artistic craftsmanship, as it does on literary composition. Our basic writing set comes with two brushes, a black ink stick, ink stone and red ink for the "chop" or signature stamp. The ink is made by gently rubbing the ink stick in a small pool of water in the ink stone. This ancient method allows for very little waste. The same bushes and inks may be used both for writing and painting, as the two art forms are so closely linked. Our writing set comes from Shanghai, the literary capital of China. Also available on Amazon from REORIENT, is the traditional rice paper used for painting and writing.

List Price: $ 14.94 Price: $ 14.94

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