Chinese porcelain

Antique Chinese Porcelain: You can buy antique Chinese porcelain pieces from antique dealers, who specialize in oriental porcelain. Antique Chinese porcelain exudes class and elegance, and is famous all over the world for its elaborate designs and fine decoration. Chinese porcelain is an integral part of Chinese history and culture.

Chinese Export Porcelain: Chinese export porcelain refers to porcelain pieces that are exclusively produced for use outside China. Chinese export porcelain can be typically divided into porcelain items made for the West, which includes Europe and the US, the Orient, which includes India, Japan, and South East Asia. This specific division of Chinese export porcelain enables potters to make designs and shapes according for the particular market they are destined for. While designing porcelain pieces, a manufacturing company decides on the shape of the porcelain, depending on the intended use. On the other hand, the decoration depends on the styles in vogue in that particular market. For instance, the Chinese porcelain specially made for the Japanese market will include items required for the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Chinese export porcelain includes items such as dishes, jugs, tea and coffee cups (with or without handles), jars, pitchers and other similar products.

Chinese Porcelain Marks: Chinese porcelain marks are synonymous with authenticity and are a proof of the age, origin, and quality of the porcelain items. Collectors generally look for a maker’s mark before deciding on the worth of a piece of porcelain. Manufacturers regard Chinese porcelain marks as a symbol of their flawless workmanship. Porcelain marks, such as the Meissen marks, on fine antique china are ‘underglaze’, which means the mark was applied on the porcelain item before the firing. In the past, the only two known pigments that could sustain the high firing temperature were iron red and cobalt blue, which were used for porcelain marks for the first hundred years of porcelain production. Since cobalt blue was more popular, you will find a large number of European porcelain marks in cobalt blue color underneath the glaze. Porcelain pieces manufactured at the Imperial factory were marked with a period mark "nian hao" as commanded by the Emperor. A very small number of specialized painters used the Imperial period mark on their porcelain pieces. However, many manufacturers have faked the original Imperial mark in an effort to raise the value of their merchandise.

Usually, the marks found on Chinese porcelain indicate the period in which they were made, during the rule of the emperors from Ming and Qing dynasties. Typically, a reign mark, which usually consists of six characters, is called ‘nianhau”. Some marks may not have the first two characters that indicate the dynasty, while some may not have the central two characters that indicate the emperor. A mark is crucial to assign the right period a Chinese porcelain piece belongs to. Various other details such as handwriting, glaze, and decoration are also indicative of the age and period.

Chinese Porcelain Doll: Chinese porcelain dolls are very pretty and elegant and make interesting gifts. These days, Chinese porcelain dolls are readily available in exclusive gift shops and antique shops. A large number of online antique dealers also sell porcelain dolls, vases, figurines, and lamps. Porcelain tiles are also in great demand these days for their contemporary styles and high functional value.