Collecting Antique Chinese Porcelain
This site is an introduction to antique Chinese porcelain and
ceramics, and includes tips for collecting Chinese antiques in
general.
Establishing a collection of Chinese porcelain requires not
only antiques related knowledge, it makes it also necessary to
learn a lot of peripheral things as, for example, the ability
to recognize fakes. This is especially true with Chinese
porcelain. This site provides basic information on genuine and
fake antiques from China. It shall enable the prospective
collector to make more informed decisions in view to Chinese
antiques.
Actually, the better we understand the issues
involved the more we realize how much more knowledge antique
porcelain made in China requires.
Even expert collectors of Chinese ceramics are often only
specialized on ceramics produced during a few dynasties.
These pages provide tips and information to the beginning
collector of antique Chinese porcelain.
It also gives collectors some information regarding the
identification of Chinese characters found in antique porcelain
marks.
Authenticity problems associated with porcelain and pottery
from China require the attention of both, the new and the
experienced collector. Some light will be shed on Chinese
commercial practices as compared to western purchasing
attitudes, and why fakes are proliferating.
First things first:
What do we define as antique porcelain?
Our definition follows to some extent customary practice here
where we live:
(1) An antique must show porcelain age signs.
(2) It must originate either in the early republic, Qing or
Ming dynasties, or earlier.
The question is what is considered "early republic" period? We
usually consider anything made after the Qing dynasty
(1644-1911) during the 1910s or 20s as early republic, thus for
us it ends 1930. Anything produced later is qualified as
"vintage".
This site concerns itself mainly with hand-painted antique
Chinese porcelain.
Printed porcelain or transferware is not included.
What is the difference between Porcelain and
Pottery?
Many people do not clearly understand the difference between
porcelain and pottery. This is especially often the case in the
land and language where porcelain first was produced. In
Chinese frequently all types of glazed ceramics are called
"porcelain".
Click here to see a definition.
Marks
and Identification
If you are new to Chinese porcelain and are here to identify
some items via their marks, then do yourself a favor and read
the mark comparison
page first. Chinese porcelain marks served a completely
different purpose than the marks of Europe. They were not used
as trademarks or logos which would allow identification of the
manufacturer.
Range
of this site
This site concerns antique
Chinese porcelain only. The information is neither related to vintage nor more
recent Chinese porcelain.
All information concerns items of an age of 80 years (early
republic) or older. This is also valid for marks, etc.
For any unknown terms, please refer to the glossary
of Chinese porcelain terms.
Table of Contents
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China Antiques Blog - Mark and Identification Queries China Antiques Blog for Mark and Identification Queries by Visitors to chinese-antique-porcelain.com
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Chinese Porcelain Glossary Chinese porcelain glossary containing must-know porcelain terms and related Chinese language terms
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Chinese porcelain Chinese porcelain and its beginnings - an overview
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Ancient China Trade - Shipping and the old China trade routes Ancient China trade picked up during the 17th and 18th centuries, the old China trade with porcelain, silk, tea
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Antique Porcelain Gallery - Images Sample Chinese antique porcelain gallery - pictures of export and minyao porcelain
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Antique Porcelain Marks and Antique Pottery Marks Antique porcelain marks and antique pottery marks on Chinese ceramics
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Antique Porcelain Authentication Antique porcelain authentication for China ceramics
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Chinese 60 Year Cyclic Calendar The Chinese calendar used in dated ceramics is the 60 year cyclic calendar
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Chinese Calendar and Year Notation Chinese calendar and year notations of old, the Chinese zodiac calender and lunar calendar
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Chinese History Timeline - Chronology of China History Chinese history timeline, a chronology of China history
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Chinese Emperors -- Chinese dynasties the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty Chinese emperors, the Chinese dynasties of the Ming and Qing dynasty and their emperors
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Porcelain Collections
Around the World Major Chinese Porcelain Collections of the World, in the East and West
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Porcelain age signs Porcelain age signs indicative of the age of china porcelain and ceramics
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Antique Porcelain Reproductions Antique porcelain reproductions and fakes of antique Chinese ceramics made in China
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Fake antique porcelain What you must know about fake antique porcelain from China. Fake antiques are flooding the antique markets
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European Porcelain Copies of Chinese Ceramics European porcelain copies of Chinese ceramics
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Buying Antique Porcelain Buying antique porcelain made in China requires some prior research to avoid buying fake porcelain
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Introduction
to Collecting Chinese Porcelain - Ebook Introduction to Collecting Chinese Porcelain - Ebook
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Porcelain Care & Cleaning Porcelain care and cleaning tips
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Porcelain Repair and Restoration Porcelain repair or china repair is more than just sticking broken pieces together
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Chinese Zodiac Calendar and Chinese Zodiac Years Chinese zodiac calendar - Chinese zodiac years and zodiac signs in Chinese society and culture
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Chinese tea culture and teawares Chinese tea culture and teawares
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Chinese
Antiques Search Chinese antiques search, appraisals search
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Sitemap Sitemap for visitors of this site, with separate blog sitemap
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Song dynasty and its five great kilns The five great kilns of the Song dynasty
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Chinese Art and Craft Motifs Art and craft motifs used in Chinese porcelain decoration
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Antique Appraisals and Appraisers Services Antique appraisals or valuations can help the collector with new information on his collectibles
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"Antiques Porcelain Marks" and Markings of China Antiques porcelain marks on china and antiques pottery marks
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Antique Chinese Porcelain - Buying Tips Guide to antique Chinese porcelain buying - what to consider when purchasing china and glazed pottery
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Dated Porcelain Dated porcelain is mostly having its source in the later 19th century
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Pottery and Porcelain - China Porcelain and Old Time Pottery Pottery and porcelain of China -- the difference between old time pottery and porcelain
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Handling Ceramics Safely Handling ceramics safely and tips for holding china porcelain
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Scientific authentication of antique ceramics using spectrometry What you should know about scientific authentication of Chinese ceramics, spectrometry and thermoluminescence dating
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Porcelain Decoration Styles Chinese Porcelain Decoration Styles
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Porcelain Age Faking Methods What you must know about porcelain age faking methods of china, and how to avoid buying a fake
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China
Antiques Blog Archive - Mark and Identification Queries Antiques Blog Archive for Mark and Identification Queries
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Buying Antiques Online Buying Antiques Online, online auctions, antique buying online, customs duty
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Swatow wares - controversy of origin Zhangzhou and the controversy of the origin of Swatow wares
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Antique china marks - antique pottery marks Antique china marks and pottery marks and their use for identification, makers marks
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Blue pigments in Chinese porcelain Blue pigments used in Chinese porcelain - Sumali, Mohammedan blue
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Chinese Export Porcelain and Decorative Styles Chinese export porcelain and other decoration styles
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Chinese Language Reign Names Chinese language reign names of the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors
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Baba Nyonya Peranakan Porcelain of the Straits Chinese Nyonya or Peranakan porcelain, thecolorful Straits Chinese porcelain
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Kraak Porcelain Kraak porcelain is a pattern exported to Europe in the Ming dynasty
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Identifying Chinese Porcelain and China Pottery Identifying Chinese porcelain, the process used for visual identification of Chinese ceramics
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Chinese Imari Porcelain Chinese Imari Porcelain - what is it? A china pattern from the early Qing dynasty
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Fake Antiques and the Buyer Fake antiques from China flooding the antique markets
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Antique China Patterns antique china patterns on export porcelain and chinese ceramics
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Novice Collector of Chinese Porcelain Tips for the novice collector of Chinese porcelain
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Shipwreck Ceramics and the Ancient China Trade Ancient shipwreck ceramics explain trading relations in Southeast Asia
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Imperial quality porcelain and imperial ceramics Imperial quality porcelain and imperial porcelain
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Ceramics Packaging - How NOT to do it Ceramics Packaging - How not to do it, and proper packaging for china
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International Trading - Buying and Selling Abroad International trading, buying and selling antiques abroad
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Yuan Dynasty Ceramics - Shufu porcelain Yuan dynasty ceramics and porcelain, Shufu porcelain
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Ancient Chinese Kilns Ancient Chinese Kilns listed in relation to location
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Fake Antique Trade and Porcelain What you must know about the fake antique trade
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Thermoluminescence Dating of Chinese Ceramics - TL Dating Thermoluminescence Dating of Chinese Ceramics - TL Dating theory
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Laser Ablation Spectrometry the use of laser ablation spectrometry or spectrometric analysis for authentication of Chinese ceramics
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Yixing Pottery and Teawares (Tea Wares) Yixing pottery or zisha clay used in teawares (tea wares)
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Antique China Categories Antique china categories used in China for porcelain
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Chinese Porcelain Making The process of Chinese porcelain making in pictures
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Chinese Porcelain Figurines Chinese porcelain figurines and their use in China's culture
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China export restrictions of cultural objects China export restrictions on cultural objects and antique art and crafts
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Kiln Firing Faults of Antique Chinese Ceramics Kiln firing faults as found in Chinese porcelain and other ceramics
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Disclaimer Disclaimer
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Privacy Policy Privacy policy of our website
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Contact us contact page for chinese antique porcelain com
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About Chinese Antiques - a different view
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Sites Worth Visiting Sites worth visiting related to ceramics, antiques or Chinese culture
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